Hypertrophic Lichen Planus: A Precursor Lesion for Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common malignant tumor of the skin. This case report aims to report a case of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in an elderly male presenting with a non-healing ulceroproliferative growth on the shin of the right lower limb and a hypopigmented patch on the shin of the left lower limb. The significant feature of this case is that in the shin of the left lower limb, SCC appears in the background of chronic hypertrophic lichen planus (HLP) but in the right lower limb, there is no evidence of a background hypertrophic lichen planus. There are only a few similar cases reported so far in the literature showing long-standing hypertrophic lichen planus as a risk factor for the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. This case illustrates that chronic hypertrophic lichen planus should be considered as a potential precursor lesion for SCC. Regular screening is essential for early detection, enabling timely intervention for improving patient outcomes.