What Is This Lesion?

A patient presented with a three-month history of an open lesion on the plantar foot (see photo at left). Other physicians had previously treated it as an abscess and a wart.

The patient has a history of rheumatoid arthritis and a 30-plus year history of a callus in this area that eventually erupted into this lesion. There was positive malodor and pain on palpation, but no purulent drainage or lymphangitis. I biopsied this lesion on the patient’s first visit.

What do you think the biopsy revealed?

a. Verruca
b. Squamous cell carcinoma
c. Rheumatoid nodule
d. Abscess

The answer will be posted at the end of next month’s blog.