No abstract

The rates of distant metastases and tumor death in sebaceous carcinoma (SC) have been reported to be higher than those of other cutaneous carcinomas, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), regardless of whether they occur in ocular or extraocular regions. Therefore, strict differentiation of SC from SCC and BCC is required. In this article, we report immunohistochemical findings of SC and compare these data to those of SCC, BCC, and sebaceoma. An immunohistochemical study was performed using 7 antibodies [anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), anti-epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), anti-CA15-3, anti-CA19-9, anti-androgen receptor (AR), anti-epithelial antigen (Ber-EP4), and anti-adipophilin (ADP)] on 35 cases of SC (16 cases in ocular and 19 cases in extraocular regions) and 10 cases of each SCC (5 cases in ocular and 5 cases in extraocular regions), BCC (5 cases in ocular and 5 cases in extraocular regions), and sebaceoma (no cases arose on the eyelids). In summary, the typical immunophenotypes of SC were EMA+, CA15-3+, AR+, Ber-EP4-, and ADP+; those of sebaceoma were CEA-, EMA+, Ber-EP4-, and ADP+; those of SCC were CEA-, EMA+, CA19-9-, AR-, Ber-EP4-, and ADP-; and those of BCC were CEA-, EMA-, CA15-3-, Ber-EP4+, and ADP-. Other antibody tests for each neoplasm were positive in about half of the cases. The detection of AR and ADP was useful for differentiating SC from SCC, whereas the determination of EMA, CA15-3, Ber-EP4, and ADP was valuable in differentiating SC from BCC.

The classification of benign sebaceous neoplasms has been challenged both by the assertion that sebaceous adenomas are really carcinomas and by difficulties in drawing the boundaries between sebaceomas and other lesions. We performed a clinicopathologic study of 30 cases of basaloid neoplasms with sebaceous differentiation, excluding cases of definite sebaceous carcinoma with severe nuclear atypia invading deep within the subcutaneous tissue and those of ocular sebaceous carcinoma. We tried to classify sebaceous neoplasms in six categories with defined histopathologic criteria. All the neoplasms were characterized by aggregations of basaloid cells admixed with sebocytes and sebaceous duct-like structures located in the dermis with or without connection to the epidermis. The categories were 1) sebaceoma (14 cases); 2) trichoblastoma with sebaceous differentiation (3 cases); 3) apocrine poroma with sebaceous differentiation (2 cases); 4) low-grade sebaceous carcinoma (6 cases); 5) sebaceous carcinoma (4 cases); and 6) basal cell carcinoma with sebaceous differentiation (1 case). The sebaceoma was further subclassified as classic type (12 cases) or verruca/seborrheic keratosis type (2 cases). Although most sebaceomas can be distinguished from other lesions, there are problematic cases. We discuss the histopathologic diagnostic problems associated with sebaceoma and also argue in favor of the concept of sebaceous adenoma.

Genetic and epigenetic analyses may be useful as an additional diagnostic tool to distinguish between melanoma and Spitz naevus, and may help to define subgroups in atypical Spitz tumours.

Netherton syndrome (NS [MIM 256500]) is a rare and severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by congenital ichthyosis, a specific hair-shaft defect (trichorrhexis invaginata), and atopic manifestations. Infants with this syndrome often fail to thrive; life-threatening complications result in high postnatal mortality. We report the assignment of the NS gene to chromosome 5q32, by linkage analysis and homozygosity mapping in 20 families affected with NS. Significant evidence for linkage (maximum multipoint LOD score 10.11) between markers D5S2017 and D5S413 was obtained, with no evidence for locus heterogeneity. Analysis of critical recombinants mapped the NS locus between markers D5S463 and D5S2013, within an !3.5-cM genetic interval. The NS locus is telomeric to the cytokine gene cluster in 5q31. The five known genes encoding casein kinase Ia, the a subunit of retinal rod cGMP phosphodiesterase, the regulator of mitotic-spindle assembly, adrenergic receptor b2, and the diastrophic dysplasia sulfate-transporter gene, as well as the 38 expressed-sequence tags mapped within the critical region, are not obvious candidates. Our study is the first step toward the positional cloning of the NS gene. This finding promises a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control epidermal differentiation and immunity.