[Epithelioma cuniculatum - a peculiar type of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (author's transl)]

We report about three cases of epithelioma cuniculatum. In two patients the tumour occurred at the auricle, in one patient at the forepart of the foot. One tumour at the ear was removed by local surgical excision, the other was treated by x-rays but without lasting success. In one patient amputation of the foot had been necessary because of intensive local invasion. The differentialdiagnosis especially at the sole of the foot must include viral warts and pseudocarcinomatous tumours as papillomatosis cutis carcinoides. The tumours on the ear could be misinterpreted as keratoacanthomas. Clinically the cauliflowerlike tumours empty on pressure foul smelling keratin. Histologically they show traits of a squamous carcinoma of low grade malignancy and an extreme keratinization beside the typical numerous anastomosing crypts similar to rabbit burrows.