Cutaneous lesions, not just skin deep!
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous metastatic disease is not unusual but it may mimic inflammatory lesions. The growth pattern of skin metastases is unpredictable and may differ from that of the primary tumour. Skin metastases may present as rapidly growing, solitary sessile or polypoid vascular nodules that ulcerate or bleed.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presenting complaints, surgical treatment and outcome of patients with cutaneous metastatic disease.


METHODS
We present three cases of metastatic skin cancer recently seen in our Department and review the clinical and pathological findings.


RESULTS
The finding of metastatic skin cancer is associated with a very poor prognosis and suggests widespread disease dissemination.


CONCLUSIONS
The paper emphasizes the importance of excisional biopsy and accurate tissue diagnosis of skin nodules.
Hanson
R P
RP
Dept of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dept of Histopathology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. rhanson@eircom.net
Kneafsey
B
B
Royston
D
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology