MALIGNANT PROLIFERATING TRICHOLEMMAL TUMOR - REPORT OF 3 CASES

We report three cases of malignant proliferating tricholemmal tumors, two of which displayed rapid growth of long-standing scalp nodules. Th e third case was a nodule on the scapula with axillary lymph node meta stasis. Although some investigators believe that the diagnosis of mali gnancy is certain only with evidence of metastasis; in our first two c ases morphologic features suggested malignancy which included infiltra tion of adjacent tissues, high degree of cytologic atypia, abundant dy skeratotic cells, monstrous multinucleated cells and atypical mitotic figures. We emphasize the possibility of malignancy in long-standing p roliferating tricholemmal tumors that show rapid enlargement. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.