Squamous cell carcinomas of the skin of the pinna.

Among 52 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin of the pinna seen consecutively between 1952 and 1973, a single course of treatment failed to control the disease in 10 (19%). This failure rate is higher than that usually reported for squamous cell carcinomas of the skin in general (2 to 6%), and appears to be in conflict with the belief that squamous cell carcinomas of the skin of the pinna rarely metastasize. It appears that other factors than neglect are responsible for this discrepancy. In this series it was not possible to judge the relative efficacy of one mode of treatment over another.