title: Aggressive scalp carcinoma with intracranial extension: a multidisciplinary experience of 25 patients with long-term follow-up.
abstract: Malignant skin cancer of the scalp with skull invasion, dural infiltration and brain involvement is a uncommon lesion. This scenario is most often encountered in patients where initial scalp lesions are not appropriately diagnosed or their extent is underestimated by the patient and/or the doctor. Our study is a retrospective review of 25 patients treated using a multidisciplinary approach (combined plastic surgery/neurosurgery procedure and neuro-oncological management). After a mean follow-up of 7 years, 22 patients did not show local recurrence or distant metastases of their primary disease. Overall, these 22 patients had excellent quality of life; however, three patients died from causes not related to their primary pathology. To obtain a complete and definitive cure, prompt diagnosis of scalp cancers followed by appropriate multidisciplinary management is strongly advised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospital, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chibbaro
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Makiese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marsella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Diemidio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fricia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passanisi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siragò
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ventura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D003392:Cranial Sinuses / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D015996:Survival Rate