Genital leiomyomas of the male nipple: two cases

BACKGROUND: Genital leiomyoma is a rare benign solitary skin tumor, not painful, developed from smooth muscle. Genital leiomyoma arising from the nipple is extremely rare, especially in males.CASES REPORT: A 47 year-old male had a 2 cm cutaneous plaque with nodules located on the right nipple. This plaque was circumscribed, erythematous, pruriginous and was not painful. The lesion had been noticed by the patient two years ago. A 37 year-old male showed a 1.5 cm cutaneous plaque located on the left nipple. The plaque was slightly erythematous, pruriginous, not painful and had been noticed by the patient 5 years earlier. Histology provided the diagnosis of genital leiomyoma in both cases. No surgical therapy was performed.DISCUSSION: Cutaneous leiomyomas are classified in 3 types regarding their origin: multiple or solitary piloleiomyoma, arising from arectores pilorum muscles, solitary genital leiomyoma, arising from the dartoic, vulvar, or mammillary muscles, and solitary angioleiomyoma, arising from the vein muscles. Clinically, genital leiomyoma is a 1 cm diameter solitary erythematous, firm nodule. According to many authors, genital leiomyoma is asymptomatic, but in the 2 patients, the lesions were pruriginous. Surgical excision is usually performed.