Sweat gland proliferations in scleromyxedema

Eccrine sweat duct proliferations may be found in various inflammatory and neoplastic skin lesions. We report a patient with scleromyxedema with exten sive proliferations of intradermal sweat ducts. Three-dimensional reconstru ction demonstrated extensive coiling and branching of the sweat ducts leadi ng into cystic lacunae. In contrast to the basal cell carcinoma that had gr own within the scleromyxedematous skin, the ducts close to the lumen staine d positive for carcinoembryonic antigen and could therefore be differentiat ed from basal cell carcinoma. In micrographically controlled surgery of cut aneous epithelial tumors that are located in chronically inflamed skin, suc h sweat gland proliferations have to be considered as differential diagnosi s.