J Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofac Assoc.  2009 Oct;10(2):138-141.

Aggressive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp with Invasion into the Skull and Dura Mater

• Park SH
• Rhie JW
• Seo JW
• Oh DY
• Lee JH
• Ahn ST

Abstract

PURPOSE: Squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp sometimes exhibits unusually aggressive behavior. We report a case of extradordinarily aggressive squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp with invasion into the skull and dura mater. Method: The patient is a 38-year-old man with two cystic masses on the occipital area. He was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma in that region and have undergone surgical resections including cortical osteotomy of the skull, several years ago. On this occasion, 3-dimensional computed tomographic imaging revealed an erosive lesion on the occipital bone and magnetic resonance imaging showed two cystic masses invasion into the skull and dura mater.
RESULTS
He has undergone wide resection of the masses and cranioplasty with dural repair. Histopathologic examination indicated squamous cell carcinoma with moderate differentiation of the masses, bone marrow and dura mater.
CONCLUSION
Squamous cell carcinoma on the scalp can readily penetrate the full thickness of the cranium and invade the dura mater, sagittal sinus and brain. We suggest wide resection of the scalp and split thickness skin graft with sentinel lymph node biopsy, following by postoperative radiation therapy.

Keyword

Carcinoma; Squamous cell; Scalp; Neoplasm Invasiveness

MeSH Terms

Adult
Bone Marrow
Brain
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Dura Mater
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Nitriles
Occipital Bone
Osteotomy
Pyrethrins
Scalp
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Skin
Skull
Transplants
Nitriles
Pyrethrins