[Squamous cell carcinoma arising from burn scars]

37 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising in burn scars were reviewed. They were diagnosed between 1963 to 1991, accounting for 9.6% of 387 cases of skin SCC diagnosed during the same period. 24 cases were male and 13 female. Their ages varied from 15 to 73 years, with a mean age of 43 years. The interval period from initial burn to diagnosis of SCC ranged from 12 to 63 years, with a mean of 35.7 years. Macroscopically, an infiltrative ulcerative carcinoma was found in 12 cases, and an exophytic cauliflower like carcinoma was seen in 25 cases. Microscopically, the SCC was well differentiated in 26 cases, moderately differentiated in 8 cases, poorly differentiated in 3 cases. The course of growth of the malignancy, the clinicopathological features and the clinical diagnosis concerning the burn scar carcinoma were discussed in this paper.