Presternal verrucous carcinoma

Verrucous carcinomas represent rare, highly differentiated variants of squa mous cell carcinoma. They preferentially develop on the oropharyngeal mucos a (Ackerman tumor),the urogenital mucosa (Buschke-Loewenstein tumors), and the soles of the feet (epitheliomata cuniculata). Various synonyma have bee n coined for these tumors. We report the uncommon occurrence of a large ver rucous carcinoma on apparently uninvolved chest skin of a 79-year old patie nt. The tu mor was excised radically. Complete extirpation was con firmed h istologically and there was no sign of recurrence during a 3 month observat ion period. She clinical appearance, histomorphological features, epidemiol ogical aspects, differential diagnosis, therapy, and nomenclature of verruc ous carcinomas are discussed.