A Clinico-histopathological Study of Appendageal Skin Tumours Over A Period of Four Years in A Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Introduction: Appendageal tumours arise from pilo sebaceous apparatus, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands. A great majority of these tumours are benign in nature. A clinicohistopathological co-relation is essential for a final diagnosis. Aim: To document the clinical and histopathological features in confirmed cases of appendageal tumours. Materials and Methods: All patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of appendageal tumours over a period of 4 years (2009-2012) were included. The clinical and histological findings were correlated. Results: 25 cases of appendageal tumours were detected on histopathology. They were found in patients in the age group of 6 -65yrs,with a M:F ratio of 1.7:1. 24 tumours were benign and 1 was premalignant. The tumours were further classified into eccrine – 8 cases (32%), Sebaceous-11 (44%), apocrine – 1 (4%) and of hair follicle – 5 (20%) origin. The most common Eccrine tumour was syringoma – 4 / 8 (50%), which presented with skin coloured papules over the infraorbital area. Eccrine hidrocystoma presented with a similar morphology along with a few vesicles, with summer exacerbation. The most common sebaceous tumour was sebaceous hyperplasia–7/ 11 (63.6%),and hair follicle tumour was pilomatricoma – 4/5 (80%), of which 3 presented as firm to hard skin coloured nodules and one as a fleshy nodule over the arm and Dimplesign was elicited in all of the tumours. Conclusion: Appendageal tumours are relatively rare tumours, often difficult to diagnose clinically. Confirmation of diagnosis is usually by histopathology.

Keywords

• apocrine
• eccrine
• sebaceous