Desmoplastic trichoepithelioma. Clinical aspects, histology and differential diagnosis

Twelve desmoplastic trichoepitheliomas (DT) including one recurrent tumor from 9 patients are described by their clinical and histopathological features with special reference to the differential diagnostic aspects. DT typically appear as dimple lesions with raised edges in the faces of young females and histologically is composed of epithelial sheets and keratinized or calcified cysts in a desmoplastic stroma. A case showing cellular pleomorphism and followed by a relapse may represent an aggressive variant of DT. DT must be distinguished from syringoma, trichoepithelioma and especially basal cell carcinoma (BCC).