Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin in a tunisian patient.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin (LELCs) is a rare cutaneous neoplasm with histologic features resembling lymphoepitheliomatous tumors of the nasopharynx. The association of lymphoepitheliomas with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) at some extracutaneous sites is well documented. In contrast, the presence of EBV in LELCs has never been shown in either Caucasians or Asian patients. We present the first case of LELCs in a Tunisian patient, a 78-year-old woman who presented with a nodule of the right cheek of 2 months' duration. The patient underwent surgical excision and there was no evidence of local recurrence 6 months later. Histologically, the entire dermis was occupied by lobules composed of atypical epithelial cells surrounded by a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Immunohistochemical examination showed that the epithelial tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen. In situ hybridization investigations for the presence of EBV-encoded RNA showed negative results. Our findings suggest that LELCs is not related to EBV among North African patients.
Fenniche
Samy
S
Dermatology Department, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia. fenniche.samy@planet.tn
Zidi
Yossra
Y
Tekaya
Naoufel Ben
NB
Ammar
Feiza Ben
FB
Yaacoub
Karim
K
Mokni
Mourad
M
Mokhtar
Insaf
I
Osman
Amel Ben
AB
Zitouna
Mohamed Moncef
MM
Haouet
Slim
S
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018396:Mucin-1; D007633:Keratins