title: Head and neck pilomatricoma: an analysis of 201 cases.
abstract: We report our experience with 201 pilomatricomas of the head and neck. They occurred over a wide age range (2-93 years, mean 29.5) and were most common in the first and second decades. Almost half (49%) presented in people over 40 years of age and there was no sex predilection (male:female ratio 1:1.1). The most common presentation was as a slowly enlarging, asymptomatic, subcutaneous mass, although nearly 25% were symptomatic, and 12% had a reddish blue skin discolouration. Most lesions were solitary; only 9 patients (5%) had multiple lesions. The most commonly affected sites were the cheek (23%), neck (22%), eyebrow (18%), and scalp (14%). Tumours were often mistaken for other lesions and a correct preoperative diagnosis was made in only 28% of cases. Preoperative investigations were done only occasionally and were not always helpful. All lesions were excised and excision was reported to have been incomplete in 22%. Two patients (1%) had a recurrence after incomplete excision. We highlight the condition to raise awareness among clinicians, and we support conservative excision as the most appropriate method of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, St Richard's Hospital, Western Sussex Hospital NHS Trust, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6SE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umar
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Macpherson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ethunandan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002610:Cheek / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005138:Eyebrows / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D018296:Pilomatrixoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult