Mucinous Carcinoma of the Skin With Apocrine-Type Differentiation

Abstract

We investigated the pathway of differentiation in a case of mucinous carcinoma of the skin (MCS) arising on the right temple of a 70-year-old man. Histopathologic findings of the tumor showed evidence of apocrine-type differentiation such as distinctive decapitation secretion. Additionally, by employing a panel of antibodies, the immunohistochemical staining pattern of tumor cells was shown to be compatible with that of apocrine glands. Although the differentiation of this neoplasm remains controversial, the findings in our case suggest apocrine differentiation.

Primary Cutaneous Mucinous Carcinoma Initially Diagnosed as Metastatic Adenocarcinoma

“…In general, cutaneous mucinous carcinoma shows carcinoma cells arranged in cords, small nests and small tubules embedded in mucinous materials which are separated by fibrous septae (Lennox et al 1952;Mendoza and Helwig 1971;Lever and Lever 1990;Bellezza et al 2000;Breier et al 2000;Ohnishi et al 2002;Wako et al 2003). The present case, in contrast, showed that relatively large tumor nests with adenocystic appearances with pseudolumens were embedded in mucinous stroma.…”

“…Although the tumor was well circumscribed, the tumor cells showed mild to moderate atypia including nuclear atypia and mitosis, suggesting that the present tumor was low-grade malignant tumor. Therefore, the present case was diagnosed as primary cutaneous 2000; Ohnishi et al 2002;Wako et al 2003). The authors here report a case of primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma of the axilla that was at first diagnosed as metastatic adenocarcinoma.…”

“…Ectopic breast carcinoma, in contrast, cannot be denied. Primary mucinous carcinoma of the skin is a low grade malignant tumor arising from sweat glands (Lennox et al 1952;Mendoza and Helwig 1971;Lever and Lever 1990;Bellezza et al 2000;Breier et al 2000;Ohnishi et al 2002;Wako et al 2003). It is still controversial whether this neoplasm has eccrine or apocrine differentiation; some authors have suggested that it shows eccrine differentiation, while others claimed that it shows apocrine differentiation (Lennox et al 1952;Mendoza and Helwig 1971;Lever and Lever 1990;Bellezza et al 2000;Breier et al 2000;Ohnishi et al 2002;Wako et al 2003).…”

“…Immunohistochemically, primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma has a tendency to show immunoreactivities for CEA, epithelial membrane antigen and broad spectrum cytokeratins (Bellezza et al 2000;Wako et al 2003). Some of them show neuroendocrine features (Wako et al 2003).…”

“…It is occasionally misdiagnosed as metastatic mucinous carcinoma (Lennox et al 1952;Mendoza and Helwig 1971;Lever and Lever 1990;Bellezza et al 2000;Breier et al 2000;Ohnishi et al 2002;Wako et al 2003). It is low-grade malignant, and distant and lymph node metastasis is uncommon though local recurrence is relatively frequent (Lennox et al 1952;Mendoza and Helwig 1971;Lever and Lever 1990;Bellezza et al 2000;Breier et al tion was recognized around the lumens.…”