Marjolin's ulcer

As scar carcinoma, also called Marjolin ulcer, referred to a chronic irritation resulting from out malignant tumor ( malignancy ) of the skin (skin cancer). In the English literature, the terms scar carcinoma or Marjolin 's ulcer are used.

A special form of scar carcinoma is the lung scar carcinoma ( engl. treatment scar cancer or pulmonary scar cancer ).

Description

Scar carcinomas are rare. They are formed on the basis of chronic irritation of the skin. This can be unstable scars, chronic ulcers and fistulas ( ulcers). The burn scar carcinoma is the most common type of scar carcinoma.

The term Marjolin 's ulcer goes back to the French surgeon Jean -Nicolas Marjolin, in the first edition of the Dictionnaire de Médecine the " warty ulcer ", but not described in 1828 as first the malignant transformation of the ulcer to carcinoma. The transformation was first described by the British surgeon Caesar Hawkins ( 1798-1884 ). The term Marjolin ulcer was coined in 1903 by John Chalmers DaCosta ( 1863-1933 ).

Histology

The scar carcinomas are most often squamous cell carcinoma ( squamous ). Basal cell carcinomas are much less frequent.

Incidence

The incidence of scar carcinoma is relatively low. It depends on the irritation of the skin. In chronic osteomyelitis the incidence is 0.7 to 1.5%. For leg ulcers ( " open leg " leg ulcer ) at 0.8 % and at a pressure ulcer (wound deck ulcer) at 0.5%. In case of fire scars are located in the range of 1 to 2%.

Treatment

Scar carcinomas are usually removed surgically by incision. It is cut with a safety distance of at least 20 mm into the surrounding healthy tissue. Specifically, the squamous are highly aggressive, so that a possible profound, radical resection is necessary. In the cases in which a local incision is no longer possible, - if feasible - amputation may be indicated.