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Updated view on epidemiology and clinical aspects of pilomatricoma in adults
Geo Han1, Ae-Ree Kim2, Hae Jun Song1
1Department of Dermatology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Pilomatricoma, a skin tumor, often presents similarly in adults and children, frequently misdiagnosed preoperatively. This study highlights key features to aid in diagnosing this common tumor.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pathology
- Oncology
Background:
- Pilomatricoma is a skin appendage tumor with a bimodal occurrence pattern, common in children and adults aged 50-65.
- It is frequently misdiagnosed, necessitating a clearer understanding of its clinical and epidemiological features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pilomatricoma in adults over 20 years old.
- To improve the diagnostic accuracy of this common and often misdiagnosed tumor.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of surgically removed pilomatricomas from adult patients (over 20 years old).
- Data collected from a tertiary hospital's pathology database between January 1994 and December 2014.
Main Results:
- Preoperative clinical diagnosis of pilomatricoma was achieved in only 34.0% of cases.
- The head and neck region was the most common tumor location.
- A majority of concomitant neoplasms reported were accompanying skin tumors.
Conclusions:
- Clinical presentation of pilomatricoma in adults resembles that in children.
- Understanding these clinical features can guide differential diagnoses.
- Vellus hair bulbs are suggested as the probable origin of pilomatricoma due to similarities with hair follicle distribution.
Background:
Clinically, pilomatricoma offers potential for a wide spectrum of differential diagnoses. It typically occurs in pediatric patients with the head being the most common location. A second peak of clinical presentation occurs in adults at age 50-65 years, suggesting a bimodal pattern of occurrence.
Objective:
To investigate the clinical and epidemiological features of pilomatricoma in adults over 20 years old, as it is a common and frequently misdiagnosed tumor.
Methods:
This was a retrospective study of pilomatricomas surgically removed at a tertiary hospital between January 1994 and December 2014. A search of the all-pathological database of patients aged over 20 years old with a pathological diagnosis of pilomatricoma was carried out.
Results:
The clinical preoperative diagnosis of pilomatricoma was made in 34.0% of cases. Tumor location showed a predilection to the head and neck. Of the reported concomitant neoplasm, a majority had accompanying skin tumors.
Conclusion:
We conclude that clinical features in adults were similar to those of children. This study outlines clinical presentations that should help to guide differential diagnoses. Additionally, because of similarities between the distribution and depth of vellus hair follicles and pilomatricomas, it is probable that vellus hair bulbs may be the origin of this tumor.
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