title: Development of male genital lichen sclerosus in penile reconstruction skin grafts after cancer surgery: an unreported complication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  • To describe the incidence of the development of male genital lichen sclerosus (LS) in non-genital skin grafts used in penile reconstruction after cancer surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  • Between 1997 and 2009, 177 patients received surgical treatment for penile cancer in the Urology Department at Sunderland Royal Hospital, the regional penile cancer centre for the north-east of England. • Patients who had organ-sparing surgery and non-genital penile graft reconstructions were identified. • Histology reports for specimens obtained from those grafts were reviewed to identify the presence of male genital LS and the incidence of recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  • The mean (range) age of patients at diagnosis was 61.8 (32-89) years. Of the 177 patients, 139 had SCC, 32 had carcinoma in situ and six had verrucous carcinoma. • In total, 56 penile reconstructive procedures were performed using split-thickness skin grafts obtained from the inner thigh. • From those grafts, 18 specimens were obtained later for cosmetic, diagnostic or curative purposes. • Male genital LS was found in six of the 18 specimens, and one of them was associated with recurrent verrucous carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • This is the first published series to describe the incidence of male genital LS in penile skin grafts taken from a remote site after penile cancer surgery. • These results represent new information that might help explain the aetiology of male genital LS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, UK. atherabdelbaky@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ather M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdelbaky
authors.forename: Pavan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aluru
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keegan
authors.forename: Damien R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000009:adverse effects