Platelet-rich plasma injection of skin graft in a patient with squamous cell carcinoma and psoriasis on prolonged methotrexate therapy: A case report

ABSTRACT

Introduction@#Psoriasis and some of its treatments such as methotrexate have been linked to the development of non-melanoma skin cancers including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Chronic maque psoriasis, Koebnerization, and prolonged methotrexate therapy are some of the concerns that may impact wound healing and graft uptake when treating these patients. @*Case Report@#We report a case of a 64-year-old male with a 32-year history of moderate to severe psoriasis continuously self-medicating with methotrexate for 30 years who presented with a solitary indurated tumor with ulceration on the right anterior leg. Histopathology result revealed acantholytic cSCC. The patient concomitantly has generalized psoriatic plaques that complicated the selection of donor site for the skin graft, and raised concerns on wound healing and graft uptake. He underwent wide excision surgery with gastrocnemius (medial head) flap and split thickness skin graft. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections were utilized post-operatively to increase graft survival and donor site regeneration. @*Discussion@#The main risk factors for the development of cSCC for this patient are the history of chronic plaque psoriasis and chronic methotrexate therapy. These two can also complicate the success of grafting and wound healing for this patient. PRP was utilized to for better graft survival, faster wound healing, and prevention of Koebnerization.