Post-burn squamous cell cancers in Nigerians

Eighteen patients with post-burn skin cancers seen at Enugu over an 8-year period have been reviewed. All the tumours were well differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. The mean age of the patients was 36 years and the incubation period of 17.5 years was shorter than in previously reported studies. An aggressive policy in the treatment of these tumours by surgery alone has resulted in an 87% 5-year survival rate for lower limb tumours. When secondary tumours due to pre-existing dermatological diseases are excluded, post-burn skin epitheliomas constituted the largest group of squamous cell skin cancers seen in Enugu, Nigeria.