Pilomatrixomas: 31 years of experience in population under and over 18 years of age

Pilomatrixoma, also known as calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe, is a benign cutaneous neoplasm that demonstrates differentiation towards the matrix portion of hair follicles. It is the most common benign cutaneous neoplasm in childhood and youth, although it can occur at any age. With a general incidence ranging from 0.001% to 0.0031% of all cutaneous tumors. There is a slight predilection for females, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.15:1.

Observational, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study conducted using the electronic database of the dermatopathology department of Dr. Manuel Gea González General Hospital, from January 1992 to July 2023. Only cases with a histopathological diagnosis of pilomatrixoma, pilomatricoma, and Malherbe's calcifying epithelioma were included.

A total of 200 pilomatrixomas were recorded in 177 patients. The tumor predominantly affected females in the pediatric age group, with an average age of 22.98 years in the studied population. The most common location was the head (periorbital region), followed by the upper extremities and trunk. Upon separating the population into pediatric and adult groups, 111 and 89 cases were identified, respectively.

We present a detailed study on pilomatrixomas with a comprehensive overview of the demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of this benign cutaneous neoplasm. The results revealed robust statistical data highlighting the distribution by age, gender, topography, morphology, accompanying symptoms, and frequency of clinical differential diagnoses. This study significantly contributes to the existing knowledge of pilomatrixomas and serves as a valuable reference for future research and clinical practice.