IngentaConnect Verrucous Carcinoma of the Skin: Long-Term Follow-up Results Foll...

Authors: Horst Koch¹; Eberhard Kowatsch²; Stefan Hödl³; Michael G. Smola⁴; Roman Radl⁵; Thiemo Hofmann⁶; Erwin Scharnagl⁷

Source: Dermatologic Surgery, Volume 30, Number 8, August 2004 , pp. 1124-1130(7)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

Background.

Owing to the benign appearance and slow growth of verrucous carcinoma of the skin, its diagnosis and therapeutic management still pose problems. Objective.

This study was undertaken to point out clinical and histopathologic features of verrucous carcinoma of the skin and to provide diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines on the basis of the long-term results from 20 patients. Methods.

A retrospective study of the long-term results of 20 patients treated surgically for verrucous carcinoma of the skin is presented. In 16 cases, a wide resection with histopathologic examination of the margins was possible. Two tumors were shaved; 1 case required below-knee amputation and 1 patient refused primary amputation. In April 1999, 9 of the 10 surviving patients underwent physical examination, ultrasonography of the regional lymph nodes and the abdomen, and chest X-ray. The protocols of autopsies or postmortem examinations of the deceased patients were consulted. Results.

The deceased patients achieved an average tumor-free survival period of 86.1 months; eight of the surviving patients had an average tumor-free follow-up of 127.4 months. Two patients suffered recurrences. Conclusion.

Curative treatment can be achieved by timely and complete resection of verrucous carcinoma of the skin, even in advanced cases.

HORST KOCH, MD, EBERHARD KOWATSCH, MD, STEFAN HÖDL, MD, MICHAEL G. SMOLA, MD, ROMAN RADL, MD, THIEMO HOFMANN, MD, AND ERWIN SCHARNAGL, MD HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2004.30338.x

Affiliations: 1: Associate Professor and 2: Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry; 3: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology; 4: Associate Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery; 5: Department of Orthopedics; and 6: Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, Graz, Austria 7: Professor, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery;

Verrucous Carcinoma of the Skin: Long-Term Follow-up Results Following Surgical Therapy