Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a median sternotomy scar—a case report and a brief review of literature

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 71 year old gentleman presented with a nodular growth in the upper end of a median sternotomy scar 17 years after an uneventful cardiac surgery. In the months immediately following the surgery he had itching over the scar and there was an episode of superficial infection in the scar two years hence. He presented this time with a history of itching, ulceration and nodule formation in the upper end of the old surgical scar over the last five months. On examination there was an ulcer at the top end of the sternotomy scar containing a three centimetre diameter nodular growth. He underwent a wide excision biopsy of the lesion which was reported as squamous cell carcinoma. Carcinomas are known to arise from scars of diverse aetiologies, but to our knowledge this is only the second time in the English literature a squamous cell carcinoma has been reported arising from a sternotomy scar.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  1. Treves N, Pack GT. The development of cancer in burn scars—an analysis and report of thirty-four cases. Surg Gynec Obstet. 1930;51:749–82.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Arons MS, Lynch JB, Lewis SR, Blocker Jr TG. Scar tissue carcinoma. I. A clinical Study with special reference to burn scar carcinoma. Ann Surg. 1965;161:170–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Korula R, Hughes CF. Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a sternotomy scar. Ann Thorac Surg. 1991;51:667–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Engler HS, Fernandez A, Bliven FE, Mortez WH. Cancer arising in scars of old burns and in chronic osteomyelitis, ulcers and drainage sites. Surgery. 1964;55:654–64.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Menkin V. Role of inflammation in carcinogenesis. Br Med J. 1960;1:1585–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lifeso RM, Rooney RJ, El-Shaker M. Post-traumatic squamous-cell carcinoma. J Bone J Surg Am. 1990;72:12–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dolan OM, Lowe L, Orringer MB, Rinek M, Johnson TM. Basal cell carcinoma arising in a sternotomy scar: a report of three cases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998;38:491–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of CTVS, Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, 632 004, Tamil Nadu, India

    Birla Roy Gnanamuthu, Vinayak Shukla, Roy Thankatchen & Ravi Shankar

Authors
  1. Birla Roy Gnanamuthu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vinayak Shukla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roy Thankatchen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ravi Shankar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Birla Roy Gnanamuthu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gnanamuthu, B.R., Shukla, V., Thankatchen, R. et al. Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a median sternotomy scar—a case report and a brief review of literature. Indian J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 26, 225–227 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12055-010-0034-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12055-010-0034-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation