EPITHELIO-LYMPHO-HISTIOCYTIC TUMOR - A CONTROVERSIAL ENTITY

We report a case of epithelio-lympho-histiocytic tumor (ELHT) in a 30- year old man with a one year history of a painless nodular lesion on t he glabella. The nodule was removed and submitted to histological and immunohistotechnical studies. The lesion consisted of dermal epithelia l lobular structures, focally connected with the epidermis, with basal oid features and cavities filled with lymphocytes, histiocytes and epi thelial cells. No cytological atypia was detected. Immunohistochemistr y confirmed the multicellular components of the tumor. This case seems to be similar to the cases first described by Santa-Cruz in 1987 and those later reported in the French and Italian literature. According t o Civatte the term ELHT is more appropriate for the consistent histioc ytic component. The histogenetic differentiation of this tumor is stil l uncertain, though some authors believe it to be a rare variety of ba sal cell carcinoma or an hair adnexal tumor closely related to thricoe pithelima.