SUBUNGAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

  • Hugo Barreiros Interno do Internato Complementar de Dermatologia e Venereologia/Resident Dermatology and Venereology, Serviço de Dermatologia e Venereologia/ Dermatology and Venereology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.70.3.12

Abstract

Subungual squamous cell carcinoma is rare. Its atypical presentation can mimic several diseases and therefore the diagnosis can be easily missed or delayed. It is more frequently observed on the fingernails which may be explained by a much higher sunlight exposure and a possible role of human papilloma virus infection.
We report a case of a 58-year-old man that was referred to our Department with a subungual tumour on his left fourth finger. Skin biopsy showed a Subungual squamous cell carcinoma and therefore whole nail unit was excised. Closure was performed with a full-thickness skin graft.

The nail apparatus should be fully excised for two main reasons: malignant tumour and severe posttraumatic nail dys- trophy. Amputation remains necessary in case of invasive melanoma or in any Subungual squamous cell carcinoma with bone involvement.

KEYWORDS – Carcinoma, squamous cell; Nails.

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Published
2013-01-13
How to Cite
Barreiros, H. (2013). SUBUNGAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology, 70(3), 349. https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.70.3.12
Issue
Vol 70 No 3 (2012): Julho - Setembro
Section
Surgical Dermatology

All articles in this journal are Open Access under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).