The Role of Excision for Treatment of Chromoblastomycosis: A Cutaneous Fungal Infection Frequently Mistaken for Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Abstract

Chromoblastomycosis is an uncommon fungal infection of the skin caused by a variety of dematiaceous fungal species that is typically contracted through direct inoculation into the skin. To collect and examine data pertaining to the clinical presentation and management of patients with chromoblastomycosis. Through a retrospective study, a pathology medical record search was performed from January 2004 to December 2020 at a single institution. A total of 9 patients were identified. Seven of 9 cases occurred in solid organ transplant recipients. All cases were located on the extremities. Six of 9 cases were clinically suspected to be squamous cell carcinoma. Seven of 9 cases were treated with surgical excision. Six of 9 patients were treated with oral antifungal medication. Four of 9 patients had received combination therapy. Eight of 9 patients had no recurrence of the disease after treatment. Chromoblastomycosis presents as verrucous papules or nodules and may clinically and histopathologically mimic squamous cell carcinoma. Immunosuppression is likely a risk factor for the development of chromoblastomycosis. This study highlights the importance of clinical awareness of this disease's clinical presentation and prevalence in immunosuppressed patient populations.