Cutaneous tricholemmal carcinoma: a 15-year single center experience

Area of Science:

• Dermatopathology
• Oncology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Clear cell morphology is observed in various cutaneous neoplasms.
• Distinguishing between entities with clear cell features and variants is crucial for diagnosis.
• Tricholemmal carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma with clear cells are often considered together in differential diagnoses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify cases with tricholemmal differentiation.
• To investigate clinical and histological differences between tricholemmal carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma with clear cells.
• To contribute to the ongoing debate on the diagnostic distinction of these entities.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 91 cases with clear cell morphology.
• Collection of clinical data including age, sex, and clinical suspicion.
• Histopathological re-evaluation of specimens for definitive diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Tricholemmal carcinoma was diagnosed in 15 cases (17%).
• The remaining cases were classified as squamous cell carcinoma with clear cell features.
• Morphological analysis indicated a potentially greater vertical growth in tricholemmal carcinoma compared to squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions:

• The diagnostic distinction between tricholemmal carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma with clear cells remains debated.
• Tricholemmal carcinoma is proposed by some as a variant of squamous cell carcinoma.
• Further research is necessary to validate these findings and confirm the reproducibility of observed features.