Malignant transformation of a chronic venous stasis ulcer to basal cell carcinoma in a diabetic patient: case study and review of the pathophysiology.

The degeneration of chronic wounds into basal cell carcinoma is rare. We present an atypical case of basal cell carcinoma diagnosed by soft tissue biopsy in a long-standing wound that had been treated for 3 years as a chronic venous stasis ulcer. In addition to the case report, we review the biomedical literature describing malignant transformation of long-standing wounds. Foot and ankle specialists should be on the lookout for changes that signal malignant transformation in long-standing ulcers. Copyright 2010 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.