Erythematous nodules of the hand: a rare site of metastatic breast carcinoma

Acral cutaneous metastasis is a rare phenomenon. A 38-year-old woman presented with painful lesions in the left hand since 1 month. On examination, multiple painful, erythematous, lobulated plaques and nodules were present over the palmar aspect of the finger tips and thenar eminence. Biopsy of the nodule revealed lobules of small pleomorphic epithelial cells arranged in singles, small nests, cords and small abortive luminal pattern in an abundant mucoid matrix, suggestive of metastatic mucinous carcinoma. Past history revealed that the patient had undergone bilateral mastectomy for carcinoma breast. Diagnosis of cutaneous metastases is based on clinical history and histopathological examination. Identification of the primary tumor is very important for prompt treatment and prognosis. The rarity of pure acral cutaneous metastasis and its possible pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed.     

某些皮肤转移癌的临床及病理分析

目的：为了研究皮肤转移癌的临床及病理特征。方法：选择了18例皮肤转移癌，对临床、病理进行分析。结果：皮损以红色斑块或多发结节最常见。躯干和颈部是常见的转移部位，下肢转移较少。转移灶的组织类型是腺癌(77．8％)和鳞癌(22．2％)。组织学上皮肤转移癌与原发肿瘤相同。女性最常见的原发肿瘤是乳腺癌(41．7％)，男性常见的原发肿瘤是肺癌、鼻咽癌、直肠癌、肾癌。结论：皮肤转移癌提示预后较差。     

Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis with generalized systemic involvement

We describe a 33-year-old woman with a 2-year history of rheumatoid arthritis-like joint changes and a 1-year history of papulonodules on the fingers, ears, oral mucosa, forearm, elbows and thighs, and erythematous plaques on the buttocks. Six months after the onset of the cutaneous lesions she had dyspnoea, 3 months later she developed a husky sound. Biopsies from the nodules on the ear and left forearm revealed multinucleated giant cells with eosinophilic 'ground-glass' cytoplasm. Bronchoscopy revealed that there were nodules in the bronchus. A biopsy taken from a nodule from the bronchus was consistent with multicentric reticulohistiocytosis. Fibrostic laryngoscopy showed a mass 1.5 x 2.0 cm(2) in size on the left aryepiglottic fold and posterior commissure. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large pleural effusion and pericardiac effusion. Ultrasound revealed splenomegaly and peritoneal fluid. Combination therapy with prednisone, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate significantly improved cutaneous and joint symptoms. The huge cutaneous erythematous plaques and the generalized systemic involvement make this case interesting.     

Primary cutaneous adenomyoepithelioma

An 83-year-old Caucasian woman presented to her dermatologist with a 5-cm subcutaneous tumor on her right thigh. The lesion had been present for many years, but had recently enlarged. Incisional biopsy showed a multinodular tumor composed of variably sized glands comprised of a luminal layer of epithelial cells surrounded by one or more layers of myoepithelial cells. The histopathologic features resembled those of adenomyoepithelioma, an uncommon neoplasm usually encountered within the breast. Primary cutaneous adenomyoepithelioma is very rare yet shares histopathologic features with common cutaneous lesions such as spiradenomas and benign mixed tumors (chondroid syringomas). Primary cutaneous adenomyoepithelioma is part of the spectrum of epithelial-myoepithelial tumors that includes benign mixed tumor, myoepithelioma and myoepithelial carcinoma. This rare tumor may mimic malignant lesions including metastatic adenocarcinoma. Like its breast counterpart, primary cutaneous adenomyoepithelioma should probably be regarded as a neoplasm of borderline malignant potential.     

Primary low‐grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin: An exceedingly rare entity

Low‐grade neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), also known as carcinoid tumor, commonly arise from the gastrointestinal (GI) and pulmonary tracts, but rarely occur in the skin. Cutaneous NET typically occurs as metastases or high‐grade primary lesions, called Merkel cell carcinoma. In the few cases described in literature, primary low‐grade neuroendocrine carcinomas of the skin (LGNECS) are usually indolent cutaneous nodules, presenting on the head and trunk of elderly patients. LGNECS tumors are histologically similar to its counterparts arising in other anatomic locations. As there is no NET cut‐off for the skin due to their rarity, the GI scale was used instead; low‐grade NETs have a Ki‐67 proliferative index of less than 3%. The distinction between primary and metastatic NET, however, is not absolute and can be difficult. A primary vs metastatic NET diagnosis relies on clinical exclusion of a NET in other, more common, anatomic locations. Here, we present a case of an LGNECS on the scalp of a 72‐year‐old female patient. Whole body imaging failed to identify any octreotide‐avid lesions elsewhere in the patient, aside from 2 positive cervical lymph nodes, which were confirmed with a node dissection and histologic evaluation. This is the 19th reported case of LGNECS and the 2nd reported case of LGNECS with nodal metastasis.     

Metastatic laryngeal large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: A rare case of presentation and extreme tumor burden

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the larynx is an aggressive form of neuroendocrine carcinoma that affects smokers at an average age of 60 years. LCNEC is characterized by large cells with round to ovoid nuclei distributed in a trabecular or nested growth pattern. Previously, laryngeal LCNEC and atypical carcinoid tumors were considered identical; however, laryngeal LCNEC has been shown to have higher mitotic rates and worse prognosis, which has led to laryngeal LCNEC's being separated from atypical carcinoid and classified as a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma in the most recent World Health Organization classification. We present a case of a 56‐year‐old female who presented with painful subcutaneous skin lesions that were diagnosed as metastatic carcinoma at an outside facility. Subsequent workup revealed a primary epiglottic lesion. Over the next 4 years, she continued to develop over 100 similar subcutaneous nodules. Additional workup confirmed neuroendocrine differentiation, thus clarifying the diagnosis of metastatic LCNEC. Review of literature has revealed only 1 reported case of LCNEC with skin metastasis. This is the first reported case in which skin metastasis was the initial presenting symptom; moreover, our case is unique with regard to the heavy metastatic burden to the skin.     

Recurrent primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation: case report and review of the literature

We report the case of a 60‐year‐old woman presenting with primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma (PCMC) with neuroendocrine differentiation, revealed by neuroendocrine tumor lymph node metastasis 7 years before identification of the skin tumor. Only five cases of PCMC with neuroendocrine differentiation have been reported to date. The frequency of this neuroendocrine component may be underestimated, as it can require immunohistochemistry for identification, rather than being obvious on initial histopathologic examination. In the case presented here, the prominent neuroendocrine component displayed the morphological features of a well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumor with expression of common neuroendocrine markers, strong expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and low Ki67 proliferation index (5%). This case shows that not all primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinomas are Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs). In addition to rare primary cutaneous carcinoid tumors, the diagnosis of PCMC with neuroendocrine differentiation must be considered, particularly when confronted by a mucinous tumor or lymph node metastases of neuroendocrine carcinoma of unknown origin. On the basis of this case, identification of a neuroendocrine component in a PCMC might be an adverse prognostic indicator of recurrence or of lymph node metastasis and should support wider excision margins of the tumor.     

Skin metastasis of neuroendocrine carcinoma derived from the mediastinum

We report a 46-year-old Japanese man with a metastatic skin tumor on his left palmar region. He underwent resection for a mediastinal neuroendocrine carcinoma in February of 1998. After the operation, he immediately noticed an elevated tumor on his left palm. In September 1999, a brain tumor was discovered. The skin and brain tumors were subsequently removed surgically. Neuron specific enolase (NSE) in the serum was elevated to 25 ng/ml. A skin biopsy specimen from the left palmar site revealed multiple tumor nests which showed the same histological features as the primary mediastinal tumor. Immunostaining was positive for chromogranin, synaptophysin, and NSE but negative for S-100 protein and CD57. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cutaneous metastasis of a neuroendocrine tumor derived from the mediastinum.     

Metastatic cutaneous carcinoid tumor mimicking an adnexal poroid neoplasm

Objective:  Metastatic cutaneous neoplasms may be difficult to differentiate from primary cutaneous neoplasms. Herein, we report an unusual case of metastatic cutaneous carcinoid tumor mimicking an adnexal poroid neoplasm.
Methods:  A 53-year-old male man presented with a neoplasm on the vertex of the scalp, clinically resembling a pigmented basal cell carcinoma.
Results:  A shave biopsy was suggestive of an apocrine poroma, however, a metastatic carcinoma could not be excluded. After acquiring additional clinical information and the complete excision of the neoplasm, further immunohistochemical stains supported the diagnosis a metastatic carcinoid tumor.
Conclusion:  To our knowledge, this is the first case of metastatic carcinoid tumor reported that has mimicked a poroid neoplasm.     

Metaplastic breast carcinoma histologically mimicking cutaneous spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most common primary cutaneous carcinomas but on rare occasion, metastatic squamous cell carcinoma from a distant site or solid organ can present as a cutaneous lesion. Most metastases occur as dermal nodules or involve the dermal lymphatics, but when they are intimately associated with the epidermis, distinguishing the lesion as primary or metastatic may be extremely difficult and usually requires a clinical history or high index of suspicion. A 71-year-old woman presented with multiple eruptive nodules over her chest, flank, and back. Histologically the lesions appeared to be arising from the surface epithelium and consisted of atypical, predominantly spindle cells, some of which streamed off of the epidermis. Following the initial evaluation, a history of breast carcinoma with subsequent radiation therapy and ultimate mastectomy was obtained, and the original breast biopsy and mastectomy material was reviewed. After performing additional studies, it became clear that the origin of the carcinomas was metastatic from an underlying metaplastic breast carcinoma.     

Pancreatic panniculitis with intraductal carcinoid tumor of the pancreas divisum

BACKGROUND: The association of pancreatic diseases with panniculitis are rare. Various pancreatic diseases are described with panniculitis of which most frequent are pancreatitis and acinar cell carcinoma. We report a case of an acute nodular panniculitis whose etiologic assessment allow of discover an intraductal carcinoid tumour on a pancreas divisum. CASE REPORT: A 45 year-old woman without notable medico-surgical history had suddenly presented with multiple cutaneous erythematous nodules on the legs associated with moderates arthralgia in the wrists and the ankles. There were no other clinical manifestations. Results of laboratory tests and chest X-ray were normal. Histologic exploration showed a centrolobular fat necrosis and suggestive pancreatic disease was confirmed by an increase in serum pancreatic enzymes. Ultrasound study and computerized tomography of the abdomen was without notable anomaly. Endoscopic ultrasound study of the pancreas and magnetic resonance imaging showed moderate distention of the pancreatic duct. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography highlighted a small tumor in the accessory duct orifice of the pancreas divisum. Immunohistological study of tumor's biopsy showed a carcinoid tumor. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this observation describes the first case of nodular panniculitis associated with carcinoid tumor of the pancreas. The detection of this tumor at an early stage, revealed by cutaneous fat necrosis, is probably due to the unusual anatomic site, on the accessory papilla of the pancreas divisum.     

Primary Cutaneous Ewing's Sarcoma/Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor Mimicking Malignant Eccrine Spiradenoma with 22q12 Translocation by Interphase Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization

Cutaneous small blue cell tumors are relatively uncommon neoplasms whose differential includes primary adnexal, neuroendocrine and lymphoproliferative tumors, as well as metastatic lesions. Another entity to be considered in the differential is Ewing's sarcoma (ES)/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET). We present a 19‐year‐old female who developed a solitary, subcutaneous mass on her back. Histology revealed a poorly differentiated, cellular, nodular neoplasm of small, blue cells containing round to ovoid, vesicular nuclei with indistinct nucleoli and scant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Tumor cells were strongly immunoreactive for antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Cam 5.2 and CD99. Overall, the lesion resembled an malignant spiradenoma (spiradenocarcinoma). CD99 reactivity prompted analysis with dual‐color interphase FISH for translocations involving (22q12), which was positive, a sensitive marker for ES/PNET. Our case demonstrates that a diagnosis of ES/PNET should be considered in the differential of primary cutaneous blue cell tumors. These lesions are difficult to distinguish from other cutaneous small blue cell tumors due to their rarity and because the diagnosis is often not considered at this site.     

Mixed nonseminomatous germ cell tumor presenting as a subcutaneous tissue mass

Extragonadal germ cell tumors most commonly arise in the midline of the retroperitoneum or the mediastinum. Primary tumors involving the skin are very rare. Only one case of malignant primary germ cell tumor located in the skin has been reported. We present the case of a 44-year-old white man with a primary subcutaneous mixed nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. This man had a long-lasting subcutaneous lump of the breast, which became painful. Surgery revealed 3 juxtaposed nodules. Microscopic examination showed a mixed germ cell tumor with a 90% immature teratoma component and a 10% embryonal carcinoma component. Testicular ultrasound and computed tomography of the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and brain were normal. Serum human chorionic gonadotrophin, beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin, alpha-fetoprotein, and lactate dehydrogenase were within normal ranges. A further surgical excision was performed. The patient is presently alive with no evidence of disease after a follow-up of 7 years. Review of the literature indicates that primary cutaneous extragonadal germ cell tumors usually occur as cutaneous or subcutaneous solitary nodules or as ulcerated lesions. They mainly consist of mature teratomas in children. Only 2 cases have been reported in adults.     

Cutaneous metastasis to the chest wall from prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men in the United States. However, skin metastasis from prostate carcinoma is extremely uncommon. Here, we present a 75-year-old Caucasian man with a history of metastatic prostate cancer developing multiple subcutaneous, erythematous nodules over the left anterior chest over a 3-month period. A fine needle aspiration of a subcutaneous nodule showed neoplastic cells consistent with metastatic prostate cancer. This case represents only the fourth reported case of cutaneous metastasis from prostate cancer to the chest wall and the ninth case outside the inguinal area.     

男性乳腺癌皮肤转移1例

报告1例男性乳腺癌皮肤转移.患者男,66岁.右下肢红斑、水肿1年余，曾被诊断为“血管炎”。组织病理检查结果示转移性皮肤癌，乳腺肿块组织病理检查结果显示浸润性导管癌，皮肤转移组织免疫组化染色示细胞角蛋白（CK）阳性。     

Composite cutaneous atypical vascular lesion and Langerhans cell histiocytosis after radiation for breast carcinoma: can radiation induce Langerhans cell histiocytosis?

Atypical vascular lesions (AVLs) refer to small vascular proliferations in radiated skin that may progress to angiosarcoma and typically develop after breast-conserving therapy for breast carcinoma. We present a case of composite AVL and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in a 57-year-old woman who received surgery and radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma of the breast. The patient developed AVLs 4 years after radiation. Biopsies of multiple erythematous nodules at the same site one year later revealed intermixed AVL and LCH, some of which coexisted within the same lesion. To our knowledge, LCH has not been recorded at the site of radiation in the English language literature. Our case not only highlights the importance of close cutaneous surveillance and a low threshold for biopsy in patients with breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy, but also raises the possibility of radiation as the inducement of cutaneous LCH.     

Clinical manifestations of cutaneous metastases: a review with special emphasis on cutaneous metastases mimicking keratoacanthoma

Approximately 5% of oncology patients develop cutaneous metastases, with only a small number of these patients (less than 1%) having metastatic skin lesions as the first sign of their visceral cancer. Metastases tend to occur on skin surfaces in the vicinity of the primary tumor. However, any site may be affected by cutaneous metastases. Skin metastases can present with several morphologies including, albeit rarely, keratoacanthoma-like lesions. Keratoacanthoma is a keratinous tumor that morphologically appears as a nodule with a central keratin-filled crater. This article reviews the characteristics of oncology patients whose cutaneous metastases mimicked a keratoacanthoma, including illustrations from our patient, a 53-year-old Caucasian man whose metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma not only presented with a keratoacanthoma-like tumor on his upper lip but also a forehead macule and a scalp nodule. We also report keratoacanthoma-like presentations from literature cases of breast cancer, chondrosarcoma, and pulmonary malignancies. The lesions were discovered 3-24 months after diagnosis of visceral cancer and led to the discovery of unsuspected lung cancer in two patients. Most of the patients (60%) died within 2 months of discovery of the keratoacanthoma-like cutaneous metastases. We also reviewed the literature and discuss other morphologies of cutaneous metastases in patients whose primary tumors were in the breast, lung, and esophagus. In addition, we review from the literature other examples of tumors that present as metastatic nodules on the scalp. The possibility of cutaneous metastasis should be entertained and pathologic evaluation should be considered in an oncology patient with underlying visceral malignancy who develops a keratoacanthoma-like lesion.     

Epidermotropic Metastatic Melanoma Clinically Resembling Agminated Spitz Nevi

Herein, we report a 36-year-old Asian male patient who presented with grouped multiple erythematous waxy papules and nodules on his right medial thigh. He had undergone amputation of the right second toe because of a stage IIa malignant melanoma, 3 years previously. At the time of surgery for the primary tumor, right inguinal lymph node dissection revealed no nodal involvement. Three years after the diagnosis of the primary tumor, crops of multiple erythematous papules and nodules developed. Initial histopathologic evaluation of the papules showed nests of small epithelioid cells similar to compound nevi. However, cytologic features, including high mitotic figures, lack of maturation, and some hyperchromatic nuclei suggested metastatic melanoma. In addition to the pathologic findings, the tumors were on the right thigh, which was the same side as the primary malignant melanoma. The patient underwent wide excision of the tumor and split-thickness skin grafting.     

Cutaneous metastasis on the nasal tip: first clinical sign of pulmonary carcinoid tumor

Skin metastases are rare and may occur in the context of a known metastatic disease or be the first clinical sign of an underlying primary tumor. In the case of carcinoid neoplasms, determining whether the cutaneous tumor is primary or secondary and identifying the tumor origin in metastatic cases is not always an easy task. This is the report of a case of cutaneous metastasis presenting as the first clinical manifestation of a previously unknown pulmonary carcinoid tumor, including the discussion of histopathological and immunohistochemical findings that allowed an adequate diagnosis of the tumor etiology and reinforces the importance for dermatologists and dermatopathologists to be familiar with these findings.     

Cutaneous metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast to an infusaport site

Cutaneous metastasis of a primary internal malignancy is a relatively common phenomenon, occurring in up to 10% of patients with noncutaneous cancer. Cutaneous metastasis can occur via direct extension, hematologic or lymphatic dissemination, or surgical implantation. The most common internal malignancy associated with the development of cutaneous metastases in females is breast cancer. We present a patient with widely metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, status postpalliative mastectomy and chest wall coverage with a vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap, who acquired cellulitis and, subsequently, noncontiguous cutaneous metastasis of her breast cancer to the site of her central venous access device (ie, infusaport). We hypothesize that the local inflammation associated with her recent bout of cellulitis and operations, in conjunction with the presence of a foreign body, may have predisposed the infusaport site to seeding by metastatic tumor cells. This case highlights the importance of considering cutaneous metastasis in the differential diagnosis of new skin eruptions in patients with cancer.