Myiasis on squamous cell carcinoma of skin

Advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a challenge for treatment. It is also a risk factor for unintended infestation with diptera larvae (maggots) known as myiasis. We performed a retrospective investigation in our files from 2001 to 2014 and identified three patients with SCC-associated myiasis (three men). In all three cases, Lucilia spp. were found. A literature review using PUBMED revealed another 12 cases of SCC-associated myiasis due to different species. It is not only a disease of older age, as two of the patients were in their 20s. The male to female ratio was 2 to 1. Wound myiasis and cavity myiasis were seen in half of the cases each. Pain, bleeding, and infection were possible symptoms due to infestation but not all patients reported complaints. Treatment aims to completely remove all maggots and to prevent secondary tissue damage with blindness due to eye ball destruction as one of the worst.