ABSTRACT

Chronic wounds and malignancies may be related in several ways (Table 1). First, wounds may, over time, degenerate into malignancy through chronic antigenic or nonspecific stimulation. Most commonly, this is seen with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Second, cutaneous malignancies may present initially as ulcerated wounds. The classic example of this is a basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which by out growing its blood supply will erode and subsequently ulcerate. Also, cutaneous metastases may present as cutaneous ulcers. Third, treatment of malignancies can lead to the development of chronic wounds. For example, hydroxyurea used to treat certain leukemias may cause lower extremity ulcerations. Finally, wounds may be associated with malignancy. For example, chronic wounds resulting from vasculitis or from pyoderma gangrenosum have been linked to malignancy. Types of Wounds Associated with Malignancy

Wounds that degenerate into malignancy

Malignancies that present as wounds, including cutaneous metastases

Wounds with etiologies associated with malignancies

Wounds resulting from treatment of malignancies