title: Basal cell carcinoma arising from surgical scars: a case and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scar malignancies are generally known as Marjolin's ulcer and the majority of them are epidermoid carcinomas. In addition to epidermoid carcinomas, Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) also can grow in various scars. Basal cell carcinoma cases developing in surgical scars are extremely rare; only 5 cases have been encountered in available English literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 68-year-old woman who has a BCC originating from a surgical scar due to a previous inguinal hernia operation was presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trauma has been suggested as one of the etiologic factors for BCC; but the role of trauma or resulting scar in BCC pathogenesis is not known. This unresolved issue can be explained with advanced studies revealing biochemical tissue changes occurring during wound healing and trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey. ozyazgan@mailcity.com
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozyazgan
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kontaçs
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology