METASTASIZING ECCRINE POROCARCINOMA - REPORT OF A CASE AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare malignant tumor arising from the intra epidermal ductal portion of the eccrine sweat gland (acrosyringium). I t usually affects older persons and is located most commonly on the lo wer extremities. We describe a 55-year-old man with an aggressive meta stasizing eccrine porocarcinoma diagnosed 10 years after the primary l esion. The metastatic lesions were located in the pubic area and scrot um and were associated with progressive lymphedema. Several biopsy spe cimens revealed numerous tumor cells in the dermis and especially in t he lumina of lymph and blood vessels. Immunohistochemical studies show ed staining with cytokeratin KL1, epithelial membrane antigen, Ca 15-3 , and Ca 19-9. Vimentin, S-100 protein, neuron specific enolase, and c arcino-embryonic antigen were negative. Treatment with carbon dioxide laser failed. The use of interferon alfa-2a for 9 months stopped progr ession of the tumor.