Primary cutaneous adenosquamous carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) of skin is a rare but distinctive neoplasm that usually exhibits an aggressive course. To date, 13 well-documented and undisputed cases of primary cutaneous ASC have been reported. This term has been used for tumors with better prognosis, such as mucoepidermoid carcinomas and acantolytic squamous cell carcinomas, originating confusion. We report a primary cutaneous ASC and review the literature.


METHODS
In this report a woman with primary ASC of the skin was studied. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical stains were performed.


RESULTS
The tumor had two components: conventional squamous cell carcinoma merging with adenocarcinoma. After a local recurrence and lymph node metastases, the patient has no evidence of disease 8 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
Pathologists should reserve the term ASC for tumors exhibiting the above mentioned appearance. In such circumstances, a metastatic origin must always be excluded.
Azorín
D
D
Department of Pathology, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
López-Ríos
F
F
Ballestín
C
C
Barrientos
N
N
Rodríguez-Peralto
J L
JL
D000368:Aged; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053555:Keratin-5; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; C503940:KRT5 protein, human; D053555:Keratin-5; D007633:Keratins