Multiple squamous-cell carcinomas in Fanconi's anemia.

Fanconi's anemia is one of the chromosome instability syndromes that may predispose to the development of cancer. A 20-year-old woman is reported in whom microinvasive squamous-cell carcinomas of the vulva and tongue developed sequentially. The clinicopathologic findings of 13 other cases of Fanconi's anemia associated with squamous-cell carcinomas are reviewed. Anogenital and oral mucosal surfaces appear to be sites of predilection for these cancers. Patients with relatively mild bone marrow problems or the preanemic phase of the illness who are able to survive several decades appear to be at greatest risk for the development of squamous-cell carcinoma.