HPI: The patient, a kindergarten teacher, was bitten on the hand by a child on March 20, 2011. School policy did not allow the child to be tested for hepatitis or HIV. Therefore, it was recommended that she receive hepatitis B vaccination. She had three shots ( March, June and December 2010) in the left deltoid area. In late January or early February 2011 she developed a tumor at the site of the vaccination.
O/E: There is a 1.2 cm. slightly friable tumor in the above-mentioned area. Dermoscopic exam shows some arborizing blood vessels.
Clinical Photograph:
Pathology: Basal Cell Carcinoma: Nodular and Infiltrating. No epidermal connection is apparent in submitted specimens.
Diagnosis: Basal Cell Carcinoma in Vaccination site.
Discussion: There have been sporadic reports of skin cancer developing at the sites of vaccination, but never one in a hepatitis B site. The latent period here is short. It's unclear what the initiating factor is. Our patient is a light-complected Caucasian, so has another risk factor, too. We plan to investigate this area further and present a case report with a review of the literature. Your thoughts will be helpful.
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