Current Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Cutaneous Adnexal Neoplasms with Apocrine and Eccrine Differentiation

Abstract

Adnexal tumors of the skin are a rare group of benign and malignant neoplasms that exhibit morphological differentiation toward one or more of the adnexal epithelium types present in normal skin. Tumors deriving from apocrine or eccrine glands are highly heterogeneous and represent various histological entities. Macroscopic and dermatoscopic features of these tumors are unspecific; therefore, a specialized pathological examination is required to correctly diagnose patients. Limited treatment guidelines of adnexal tumor cases are available; thus, therapy is still challenging. Patients should be referred to high-volume skin cancer centers to receive an appropriate multidisciplinary treatment, affecting their outcome. The purpose of this review is to summarize currently available data on pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment approach for apocrine and eccrine tumors.

Eccrine Hidradenocarcinoma of the Scalp

“…Tumour classification is complex, which is worsened by the existence of controversial literature on the subject. HC is usually a tumour of eccrine origin that often arises de novo but may also result from malignant transformation of a pre-existing hidradenoma [ 2 , 5 ]. It was described for the first time by Keasby et al in 1954 [ 6 ].…”

Porocarcinoma of the Left Arm: A Report of a Rare Skin Cancer Case and Literature Review

“…Complete remission was also seen with polychemotherapy with doxorubicin, mitomycin C, vincristine, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), alternating with cisplatin and bleomycin or hyperthermic perfusion with 5-FU and melphalan. Other agents have been administered in combination, including cisplatin and docetaxel, carboplatin and paclitaxel; doxorubicin, mitomycin, vincristine, and 5-fluorouracil; anthracycline, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and bleomycin; isotretinoin and interferon-alpha [18]. Other case series described using topical 5-FU and intraarterial docetaxel and docetaxel as a single agent.…”

Porocarcinoma of the left arm: A report of a rare skin cancer case and literature review

“…Other agents have been administered in combination, including cisplatin and docetaxel, carboplatin and paclitaxel; doxorubicin, mitomycin, vincristine, and 5‐fluorouracil; anthracycline, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and bleomycin; isotretinoin and interferon‐alpha. 33 , 34 , 35 Other case series described using topical 5‐FU and intraarterial docetaxel and docetaxel as a single agent. Furthermore, long‐term outcomes have been recently achieved with pembrolizumab.…”