Penile and Scrotal Porokeratosis: A Single-Institution Experience

There is a paucity of data regarding porokeratosis confined to the penis and scrotum. We evaluated our single-institutional experience regarding this entity. We interrogated our pathology archive for all specimens from the penis or scrotum, signed out as porokeratosis between 2000 and 2022. Clinical and histopathological features were reviewed, including the number of cornoid lamella(e) per tissue profile and squamous dysplasia. Nine patients were included in the study. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 51 years. Multiple lesions were present in 3 patients. Six patients had exclusively penile involvement, whereas 2 patients had exclusively scrotal involvement. One patient had multiple lesions consistent with porokeratosis ptychotropica, extending from the scrotum to the buttocks and perineum. Clinically, a collarette of scale was noted in 3 patients and diagnosis of porokeratosis was considered in 1 patient before biopsy. Histopathologically, 2 patients exhibited multiple cornoid lamellae in the same profile and 1 patient had follicular cornoid lamellae. Focal squamous dysplasia was only present in 1 patient. Follow-up was available for 5 patients (median duration: 35 months). In 4 patients, the lesions were removed completely during the shave biopsy procedure. At the past follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence or malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma in any patient. Porokeratosis involving the penis and/or scrotum may be elusive to diagnosis based on clinical features alone, emphasizing the role of histopathological examination. Increased awareness of this entity may help better delineate its clinicopathological presentation and appropriate classification.