title: Eccrine porocarcinoma with extensive cutaneous metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) is an uncommon malignant neoplasm that originates in the intraepidermal portion of the eccrine sweat duct. Although porocarcinoma is a slow-growing tumor, up to 20% of cases can metastasize to regional lymph nodes, thus increasing mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the clinical and histopathological features and clinical course of three cases of extensive metastatic EPC diagnosed in our department over the last 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three patients were women aged 89-96 years. They had numerous skin tumors on the left leg that were histologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as metastatic EPC. Only one patient had a history of primary porocarcinoma, which had been excised 6 years earlier. The remaining two patients had a previous lesion diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. We treated the patients with palliative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Only one patient is currently alive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cases of cutaneous and regional metastatic EPC we present occurred in elderly women with major involvement of the left leg. The third case is noteworthy, as the patient presented a long latency period before metastases appeared. Difficulties in the clinical diagnosis--and occasionally histological diagnosis--of primary EPC could delay more aggressive treatment, although optimal treatment does not always guarantee a good prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montes-Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-Plaza
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llamas-Velasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gordillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Argila
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ballesteros
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daudén
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D057090:Eccrine Porocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care; D013544:Sweat Gland Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy