Skin appendageal tumors: A 1 year data from a tertiary care institute

Abstract

Background: Skin appendageal tumors (SAT) are a rare group of tumors that are classified according to their line of appendageal differentiation along eccrine, apocrine, follicular, and sebaceous lines. However, they are relatively uncommon and create diagnostic difficulties for the pathologist. Recognition of malignant transformation adds to the importance of an accurate diagnosis. A paucity of clinicopathological data from the Himalayan region of India, in particular, prompted the conduct of this study.

Aim: To study the clinical and histopathological spectrum of SAT during a period of 1 year received at our hospital.

Materials and methods: A retrospective study was carried out at the Pathology department of our hospital. All relevant clinical characteristics were noted in addition to the histopathological features. Slides stained with both hematoxylin and eosin and special stains where necessary were used to supplement the diagnoses.

Results: A total of 17 cases were diagnosed in 1 year (January 2021 to December 2021) at our institute. The predominant age group was 40-59 years. Females outnumbered males, with a male: female ratio of 0.8:1. The most common location of tumors was in the head and neck (90.90%). The majority of cases were benign (90.90%). The majority of tumors were of follicular differentiation (54.55%). We found one malignant tumor of sebaceous differentiation.

Conclusion: The clinical presentation is remarkably similar to most SAT. In our study, we found that majority of tumors were benign and located in the head and neck. The importance of an accurate histopathological diagnosis is essential in these tumors to diagnose the malignant counterparts and differentiate them from more common skin tumors with different prognoses.