Malignancies Arising in Wounds

Identifying Malignancies in Wounds and Advocating for the Patient in Home Care

 

Topic: Malignancies arising from wounds occur at a rate of 1.7 to 5.7%, with some studies suggesting these numbers are on the rise. Many home care patients are confined to their home in low populated areas away from major hospitals or wound clinics.  Typically referrals for wound care are coming from a general physician with little or no wound care training. Many cases of malignancies are going undetected which leads to increased medical cost, depression, and sometimes death.

DISCUSSION:  Clinicians who are treating patients with wounds must be aware of at risk patients and the clinical characteristics exhibited by these wounds. Often, patients come to home care, stating “I have had this wound for years and been to several doctors, and it never heals” or “it closes and then reopens”.  Collecting an adequate history and performing a good physical assessment is extremely important when dealing with long term chronic wounds.

Nurses and therapists at this home care company have a corporate team of certified wound and ostomy nurses who are available for consults, questions or support.  The goal of the Corporate Wound Care team is to educate the clinician using the photos sent so they can be an advocate for the patient. This poster will present three case studies on patients with malignancies and the challenges it took to get them addressed.