Eccrine carcinoma

Eccrine carcinoma is a rare skin condition characterized by a plaque or nodule on the scalp, trunk, or extremities. It originates from the eccrine sweat glands of the skin, accounting for less than 0.01% of diagnosed cutaneous malignancies. Eccrine carcinoma tumors are locally aggressive with a high rate of recurrence. Lack of reliable immunohistochemical markers and similarity to other common tumors has made identification of eccrine carcinoma difficult.
Symptoms.
Eccrine carcinoma results in brown, bluish, erythematous skin lesions across the body. Common regions where lesions are found are in the lower extremities (35%), head and neck (24%), and upper extremities (14%).
Complications.
Metastases and/or antagonistic side effects can occur after surgical excision of tumors.
Types.
Eccrine carcinoma tumors consist of two types: malignant and benign. Malignant tumors include porocarcinoma, hidradenocarcinoma, malignant spiradenoma carcinoma, malignant cylindroma, syringoid eccrine carcinoma, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and ductal papillary adenocarcinoma. Benign tumors include poroma, hidradenoma, spiradenoma, cylindroma, syringometaplasia, syringoma, syringofibroadenoma, and chondroid syringoma. Other tumors not classified include eccrine ductal carcinoma, basaloid eccrine carcinoma, clear cell eccrine carcinoma and non-specified sweat gland carcinomas.
Causes.
There is no research yet as to what causes Eccrine carcinoma.
Diagnosis.
A skin biopsy is the common test used to diagnose Eccrine Carcinoma. The biopsy will detect growth of new or abnormal tissue. Another test that can be performed is using Immunohistochemistry, but it is inconsistent. Markers used to detect Eccrine Carcinoma consist of carcinoembryonic antigen, progesterone receptors, estrogen receptors, epithelial membrane antigen, pancytokeratins, and cytokeratin 7.
Treatment.
Treatment requires surgical excision of tumors brought upon by Eccrine Carcinoma. To treat lesions, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been used.
Prognosis.
Eccrine carcinoma has a relative mortality rate of 80%, and the 10-year overall survival rate is 9%.
Frequency.
Eccrine carcinoma accounts for 0.005-0.01% of diagnosed cutaneous malignancies.