Verrucous Carcinoma Arising Secondary to Diabetic Foot Lesions: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Verrucous carcinoma is classically considered a variant of squamous cell carcinoma, most commonly occurring in the oral cavity in association with snuff and chewed tobacco. However, the association between verrucous carcinoma of the foot and diabetes is less well known. This study presents a systematic review of all articles containing the search term “verrucous carcinoma” and “diabetic foot ulcer” in the abstract or title that have been published in PubMed before September 2020. The requirement for inclusion in our report were that the patient data had been documented in a case‐related manner and the patient diagnosed with verrucous carcinoma secondary to diabetic foot lesion. Seven descriptions of verrucous carcinoma presenting in patients with diabetic foot ulcers were presented across six case reports, and clinical case descriptions are collected here along with treatment outcomes, where available, and discussion of common mimics of verrucous carcinoma of the foot. Due to treatability and potential for extensive invasion of local structures requiring resection with wide margins, verrucous carcinoma should be carefully considered in the differential diagnosis of a warty foot lesion in the setting of the diabetic foot.