Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Full-thickness Burn Wounds After Treatment with Cultured Epithelial Autografts.

Abstract

In vitro expansion of cells using cultured epithelial autografts (CEAs) is a useful technique to provide skin coverage in extensive burn injury patients with limited donor site availability.1,2 However, preparation time of over 2 weeks and lack of a dermal component increase the risk of invasive infection and make the skin susceptible to shearing trauma. Besides, there have been reports of graft site malignancy after treatment of full-thickness burn with CEAs.3,4 We had earlier described a patient with reports of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at multiple full-thickness wound sites treated with CEAs.3,4 The patient was involved in a gas explosion, which resulted in full-thickness burns to 95% of total body surface area. Given the lack of donor sites, most of his body, including bilateral lower extremities, was grafted with CEAs. The lower extremities had to be grafted up to 3 times because of limited “take” of the CEAs. In our previous communications, we had described the development of SCCs in 6 different locations of the left lower extremity of the patient, which manifested about 14 years after the initial treatment with CEAs.3,4 We are now reporting 8 additional SCCs in the patient’s lower extremities over the past 9 years (October 2005–April 2015).