Plantar epithelioma cuniculatum. A case report with review of the literature.

Abstract

Epithelioma cuniculatum has been classified together with the verrucous carcinomas, the Ackerman tumor (oral florid papillomatosis) and the Buschke-Lowenstein tumor (anourologic type). This represents three clinical forms of a similar entity. Epithelioma cuniculatum is a rare tumor occurring mainly on the plantar surface of the foot. It primarily affects white males aged 55 to 65 years. The tumor enlarges slowly, and may penetrate into deeper tissues, but rarely gives distant metastases. The treatment of choice is surgical tumor extirpation. The tumor size, location of the defect and the functional characteristics of the affected site all play a role in choosing the appropriate reconstructive method. A case of a 47-year-old man with a plantar epithelioma cuniculatum is presented. It was treated by surgical tumor removal and immediate reconstruction with a free radial forearm flap.