title: Desmoplastic trichoepithelioma: report of a case illustrating its natural history.
abstract: First described more than 30 years ago, desmoplastic trichoepithelioma is a rare but benign adnexal neoplasm. Most often identified in middle-aged individuals and females, desmoplastic trichoepithelioma usually is a solitary annular plaque. Though the tumors are benign, the possibility of malignant neoplasm may spark both clinical and histologic concern. A full-thickness skin biopsy is advisable when desmoplastic trichoepithelioma is suspected. A patient's clinical history may provide some clues to help guide diagnosis, as the tumors may be present for years and slow growth is commonly reported. We present a patient with desmoplastic trichoepithelioma that uniquely documents and supports the typical natural history of this tumor, as demonstrated by annual school photographs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68131, USA. jms10793@creighton.edu
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shehan
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huerter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018294:Neoplasms, Adnexal and Skin Appendage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010784:Photomicrography; D035583:Rare Diseases