A Digital Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking a Diabetic Foot Ulcer, With Early Inguinal Metastasis and Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Abstract

Although squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common nonmelanoma skin cancer, clinicians have difficulty diagnosing SCC of the toe because its clinical features can mimic other less serious diseases. Clinicians are especially prone to misdiagnose SCC of the toe as diabetic foot ulcer in patients with diabetes mellitus because of the clinical similarity of the 2 ailments. SCC of the toe is generally considered to have a low risk of metastasis. Locoregional or distant metastases without bone or tendon involvement are particularly rare. The authors report here an interesting case of rapidly spreading SCC of the toe with metastasis to multiple lymph nodes and cancer-related lymphedema. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of malignancy when they encounter chronic and recalcitrant ulcerative lesions of the digits.