Penile Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma: A Rare Case With PD-L1 Expression

Int J Surg Pathol. 2021 Sep;29(6):690-692. doi: 10.1177/1066896920988340. Epub 2021 Jan 16.

Abstract

Most malignant tumors of the penis are squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), being divided in 2 groups, one human papillomavirus (HPV)-related and another non-HPV-related, with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) being one of the rarest HPV-related SCC. In this article, we report a case of a 50-year-old man who presented testicular swelling and pain for the past 3 months. A penile mass was identified, and the patient was submitted to a total penectomy. The penectomy specimen showed an ulcerated lesion at the glans reaching the cavernous bodies. Microscopic examination showed undifferentiated epithelial cells with syncytial growth pattern mix with a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, consistent with LELC. The tumor cells expressed p16 and all 3 different clones of PDL1 (22C3, SP263, and SP142). The patient is alive and well with a follow-up of 3 months. To our knowledge, this is the third LELC of the penis reported in literature and the first case reported with PDL1 expression.

Keywords: PD-L1; lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma; penile cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Biopsy
  • Carcinoma / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma / virology
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / analysis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Papillomavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / pathology
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology
  • Penile Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Penile Neoplasms / pathology
  • Penile Neoplasms / virology
  • Penis / pathology
  • Penis / virology

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CDKN2A protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16