The Keystone Flap in Dermatology: Clinical Experience with 18 Patients. / Aplicación del colgajo de keystone en dermatología. Experiencia clínica en 18 pacientes.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The keystone flap is a fasciocutaneous flap supplied by perforating arteries. It is used in dermatology to repair surgical defects in areas with low skin extensibility (the upper and lower limbs and the back). We review the clinical experience gained with keystone flap reconstruction at our hospital and report on the surgical outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive retrospective study of patients with malignant skin tumors on the lower limbs who underwent keystone flap reconstruction. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (mean age, 77.83 years) underwent keystone flap reconstruction using the Behan technique in 17 cases and the modified Moncrieff technique in one. Basal cell carcinomas accounted for 38.8% of the tumors excised, squamous cell carcinomas 33.3%, and malignant pigmented tumors 27.7%. Cardiovascular risk factors were observed in 72.2% of patients. Minor complications occurred in 38.8% of patients, and there were no cases of partial or total flap necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: We consider the keystone flap to be a good alternative to other flaps and grafts for the surgical reconstruction of lower limb defects. The success rate was high, and the cosmetic and functional outcomes were good.

Lichen sclerosus and squamous cell carcinoma.

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can progress to malignancy. The literature indicates an association with anogenital squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. Two pathogenic pathways, differentiated vulvar and penile intraepithelial neoplasias, which have recently been described in relation to squamous cell carcinoma, are both highly associated with genital lichen sclerosus independently of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Furthermore, tumor-promoting molecular changes unrelated to HPV infection have been demonstrated and may explain the malignant potential of lichen sclerosus. The possible relationship between HPV and genital lichen sclerosus currently remains open to discussion, and the prognostic importance of the overlapping of these 2 diseases is still unclear. This review considers the relationship between lichen sclerosus and squamous cell and verrucous carcinomas, the possible oncogenic mechanisms involved, and their possible association with HPV infection.

High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer and its incidence has increased in recent decades. Most cSCCs are successfully treated by surgery, but local and distant metastases develop in approximately 5% of cases; this proportion is higher in certain forms of cSCC with high-risk factors, namely: tumor size >2cm, depth >2mm, Clark level ≥IV, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, poor differentiation, certain histologic subtypes (desmoplastic or adenosquamous carcinoma, invasive Bowen disease, or a cSCC arising in areas of chronic inflammation), immunosuppression, human papillomavirus infection, high-risk anatomic location (pinna of the ear, labial mucosa), expression of certain tumor genes, and inadequate tumor resection. The latest TNM (tumor, lymph node, metastasis) classification of cSCC published by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) in the seventh edition of its Cancer Staging Manual now incorporates several of these risk factors to improve disease staging. We review all the factors currently considered to be markers of poor prognosis in cSCC and analyze the new AJCC classification and the different treatment options for high-risk cSCC.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip. A retrospective study of 146 patients.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip (SCCL) accounts for 90% of all tumours of the oral cavity. We present a series of 146 patients with SCCL studied in our hospital. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and identify the primary tumour parameters related to local and lymph node recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the clinical characteristics, surgical procedures and tumour recurrences of the 146 patients diagnosed with SCCL in Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón (Spain). RESULTS: A total of 122 of the 146 patients (91.7%) showed tumour stage ≤ T1N0M0 at diagnosis, and 11 (8.3%) showed stage >T1N0M0. Local recurrences were observed in 11 of the 146 patients (7.5%), and five patients (3.4%) developed lymph node metastases during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed an increased tumour size to imply a greater risk of local recurrence (P = 0.025). The probability of local recurrence over the 24 months of follow-up was 1% for tumour stages ≤ T1N0M0 and 20% for stages ≥ T1N0M0. There appears to be a greater tendency towards local relapse in male patients, in smokers, patients living in rural areas, in lower lip tumours and in those patients showing infiltration at physical exploration. Eleven patients (8%) died during follow-up, although in only two of them (18%), SCCL was the cause of death. CONCLUSION: The low tumour stage of our patients may explain the few local and lymph node disease recurrences seen in our study. We have shown tumour size to be directly related to the probability of local recurrence.

[Lichen sclerosus and squamous cell carcinoma]. / Liquen escleroso y carcinoma escamoso.

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can progress to malignancy. The literature indicates an association with anogenital squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. Two pathogenic pathways, differentiated vulvar and penile intraepithelial neoplasias, which have recently been described in relation to squamous cell carcinoma, are both highly associated with genital lichen sclerosus independently of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Furthermore, tumor-promoting molecular changes unrelated to HPV infection have been demonstrated and may explain the malignant potential of lichen sclerosus. The possible relationship between HPV and genital lichen sclerosus currently remains open to discussion, and the prognostic importance of the overlapping of these 2 diseases is still unclear. This review considers the relationship between lichen sclerosus and squamous cell and verrucous carcinomas, the possible oncogenic mechanisms involved, and their possible association with HPV infection.