Characteristics of Eccrine Tumors in a Tertiary Institution: A 5-Year Retrospective Study

Eccrine tumors are adnexal tumors with a varied clinical presentation and wide histological spectrum. This study aims to consolidate data on the clinical characteristics of eccrine tumors to help improve clinical acumen and management of such tumors. Histopathological records from January 2008 to December 2012 were retrieved. Clinical characteristics of the tumor including site, appearance, symptoms, color, duration prior to presentation, and clinical and histological diagnosis were recorded. Eighty-four patients with eccrine tumors were identified, with seven main types of tumors recognized-hidradenoma (33.3%), poroma (29.8%), mixed tumors (14.3%), spiradenoma (8.3%), porocarcinoma (6.7%), eccrine adenoma (3.6%), and syringoma (3.6%). A total of 50% of mixed tumors were misdiagnosed as epidermal cysts. Eccrine tumors have a wide array of clinical presentations and are often clinically misdiagnosed as cysts. Recognizing certain clinical features may aid in the diagnosis, but, if in doubt, a biopsy should be performed.