title: Direct intracranial extension of malignant eccrine spiradenoma of the face.
abstract: Malignant eccrine spiradenomas are exceedingly rare tumours. They are aggressive tumours normally arising in long-standing benign eccrine spiradenomas. We present a case of malignant eccrine spiradenoma of the right side of the face with direct intracranial extension without distant metastasis. A 48 years old woman presented with a large exophytic tumour on the right side of her face. Radiological imaging of the head and neck region revealed extensive invasion of the facial tissues around right orbit, maxilla and extension into the middle cranial fossa involving the right temporal lobe. She underwent craniotomy and debulking of the right temporal lobe and biopsy of the facial tumour. Histopathological findings were consistent with malignant eccrine spiradenoma. This is a rare case of facial malignant eccrine spiradenoma with direct intracranial extension with no distant metastasis. A literature search revealed that it is first case to be reported of this kind.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Eccrine carcinoma; Spiradenoma; Adnexal carcinoma; Malignant eccrine spiradenoma.
authors.affiliation: ENT, Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax, United Kingdom, HX3 0PW.
authors.forename: Srinivas B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Pedamallu
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin-Hirsch
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Zwae