Primary cutaneous cribriform apocrine carcinoma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 26 cases of an under-recognized cutaneous adnexal neoplasm.

Abstract

Cribriform carcinoma is the histopathologic variant of cutaneous apocrine carcinoma characterized by interconnected solid aggregations of neoplastic cells that are punctuated by small round spaces. To describe the histopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of this under-recognized cutaneous adnexal neoplasm. Twenty-six cases of primary cutaneous cribriform apocrine carcinoma were clinically, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically studied. Seven neoplasms arose in males and 19 in females. The median age of the patients was 47.8 years. The lower and upper limbs were the most frequent sites. Histopathologically, the neoplasms consisted of well-circumscribed dermal nodules composed of multiple, interconnected, solid aggregations of basophilic epithelial cells that were punctuated by small round spaces. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells expressed immunoreactivity for MNF116, AE1/AE3, Cam 5.2, cytokeratin 7, carcinoembryonic antigen, and epithelial membrane antigen. All specimens came from dermatopathology laboratories, and some inherent selection bias may exist. Primary cutaneous cribriform apocrine carcinoma is a distinctive but little-known variant of cutaneous apocrine carcinoma.