title: Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed: three case reports.
abstract: Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed is rare, and the disease is often misdiagnosed as a benign condition. Digital amputation is often performed because of the delay in diagnosis and the involvement of the distal phalanx. Between March 1999 and March 2002, 3 patients presented to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, with squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed. Two of the patients underwent a digit-salvaging procedure-namely, wide local excision and flap coverage-and their functional outcome was satisfactory. The remaining patient received partial amputation of the thumb without significant functional loss. A high degree of suspicion is thus needed to detect squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed; a biopsy of chronic recurrent nail bed lesions should be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong. tedwong2@i-cable.com
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps