A shorter lag period of mesenchymal malignancy on Marjolin's ulcer

Marjolin's ulcers generally appear on a burn scar a long time after initial burn injury. A 21-year-old man sustained a thermal burn injury to his right elbow. The ulcer appeared 3 years after and the tumour enlarged and reached a size of 11 cm in diameter in a short period of time. The tumour mass was excised and the donor site was grafted. Right axillary lymph node dissection was carried out. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the nature of the tumour was mesenchymal. Both mesenchymal malignancy and shorter lag period are rarely seen in Marjolin's ulcer. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.