Metastatic eccrine porocarcinoma: Response to docetaxel (Taxotere) chemotherapy

Background: Eccrine porocarcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm of the intra-epid ermal sweat gland duct. Patients and methods: A case of eccrine porocarcinoma in a female renal tra nsplant patient aged 45 years is described with a review of pertinent liter ature. Results: The primary tumour was highly pleomorphic. In places large and sma ll cells merged and focally the former component infiltrated the epidermis in a manner akin to Paget's disease of the breast. The majority of the tumo ur was high grade; using the modified Bloom and Richardson grading system, usually applied to mammary ductal carcinomas, the tumour graded as 3. Metas tatic disease developed nine months following primary surgical treatment. T he metastatic eccrine porocarcinoma was resistant to epirubicin but respond ed to docetaxel chemotherapy. Conclusions: There are no data to support the use of adjuvant therapy in th e management of eccrine porocarcinoma. The use of the modified Bloom and Ri chardson grading system may define cases at high risk of relapse in which a djuvant therapy might be considered. Metastatic eccrine porocarcinoma has p roven resistant to many chemotherapeutic agents. We report the first use of docetaxel in the management of this disease. The treatment was well tolera ted and resulted in marked symptomatic and radiological responses. Treatmen t with docetaxel should be considered in future cases of this rare tumour.