Chennai hospital treats IT professional with rare skin cancer

A multidisciplinary team at SIMS Hospital in Chennai has successfully treated a young IT professional suffering from Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP), a rare form of skin cancer, according to a press release.

The cancer had severely affected the patient’s scalp and skull. Doctors at the hospital removed the tumour and then re-constructed the skull. Then, the scalp was repaired in stages using skin grafts, flaps, and tissue expanders, and the final repair was done using a piece of tissue from the patient’s thigh. A metastatic lung nodule was also removed during the procedure.

The patient had been battling this condition for over eight years with multiple recurrences despite three prior surgeries.

Doctors involved in the surgery, including R. Krishnamoorthy, former director, plastic surgery, Institute of Craniofacial, Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery (ICAPS), and Shyamnath Krishna Pandian K., consultant, plastic surgery, ICAPS, spoke of the challenges involved with the procedure as the tumour had eroded the scalp and the skull and was dangerously close to the brain.

The patient’s scalp is now fully covered with healthy and stable tissue. The patient will need regular follow-up for early detection of recurrence, sun protection, and good scalp hygiene, the press release said.