Verruciform xanthoma of the penis in a young male masquerading as squamous cell carcinoma: Case Report

Verruciform xanthoma (VX) is a relatively rare benign lesion of unknown etiology with a predilection for oral mucosa. Penis is an uncommon location and to date only 17 cases of VX of penis have been reported. The lesion assumes importance as it can be easily mistaken for verrucous carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. We present herein a case of penile VX in a 25-year-old man who was referred to our institute with a histopathologic diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma reported elsewhere. On microscopy the lesion demonstrated florid verruciform hyperplasia of the epidermis with hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis and acanthosis. There was a dense infiltrate of foam cells in the papillary dermis (a hallmark of VX), which were positive for CD68 and negative for S-100 protein. We present this case to highlight the significance of recognizing VX in extra oral location. An awareness of this entity is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis and halt inappropriate therapeutic intervention. Keywords: penis, squamous cell carcinoma, verruciform xanthoma, verrucous carcinoma.