Outcomes of 100 Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Upper Limb: 100 Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Upper Limb.

BACKGROUND

Rates of recurrence, metastases, and mortality for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the upper limb have not been clearly defined.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to characterize these tumors and assess the long-term outcomes, comparing with current literature.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A retrospective review was performed on 100 consecutive primary cutaneous upper limb SCCs managed surgically by a single hand surgeon between 2012 and 2019. Data collection included patient demographics and tumor factors from the electronic patient records.

RESULTS

One hundred SCCs were identified in 93 patients. Sixty-six percent of patients were male, and the median age was 80 years. Median follow-up was 25 months. Ninety-seven percent of cases were completely excised. The local recurrence rate was 1%, 2% presented with metastases, 4% developed metastases during follow-up, and the mortality related to SCC was 3% with a 33% overall mortality rate.

CONCLUSIONS

SCCs of the upper limb behave in a similar manner to those located elsewhere. The local recurrence, metastases, and mortality rates were all low, as such the majority of upper limb SCCs can be managed effectively with a single, low morbidity procedure.Deep margin clearance can be particularly challenging to achieve and an acceptable margin should be considered on an individual basis.