Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: We report a case of semispecific myiasis in a cutaneous skull metastasis of cervical cancer. A 43-year-old woman developed larval infestation in an ulcerated occipital lesion. Fifty-two larvae were morphologically identified as Lucilia sericata. To control myiasis, we removed larvae by hand and applied petrolatum with topical zinc oxide starch powder. The ulcer surface improved, and no recurrence of myiasis was observed. Myiasis typically occurs in individuals with necrotic wounds, poor hygiene, or immunosuppression. This is the first report of myiasis occurring in a metastatic lesion of cervical cancer. We reviewed 36 cases of facultative myiasis in Japan since 2010, highlighting risk factors such as old age, dementia, malignancy, and solitary living. L. sericata was one of the most frequently identified species. Topical zinc oxide starch powder proved effective, offering a simple, noninvasive treatment option. This case expands the clinical spectrum of myiasis and suggests that zinc oxide starch powder may be useful in palliative wound care for advanced cancer patients.
Source: The Journal of Dermatology
Authors: Yoko Shimada, Hiroto Ono, Kiminobu Takeda, Akira Shimizu, Manabu Murakami, Toshiyuki Sasagawa, Masahiro Takakura
Institution: Kanazawa Medical University
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4413240501