Eruptive Syringoma: Clinicopathologic Analysis of Thirteen Cases

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eruptive syringoma is a very rare variant of syringoma and arises most frequently on the anterior trunk of young people. Because eruptive syringoma represents clinically a very rare distinct entity, clinicopathologic studies rarely have been described in literature. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to characterize clinical and histopathologic findings of eruptive syringomas which were diagnosed by histopathologic examination for a 10 year period in Asan medical center. METHODS: The hospital records, clinical history, and biopsy slides of 13 eruptive syringoma were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 5 men(38%) and 8 women (62%) with the mean age of 31 years. The mean age of onset was 23 years and 3 patients(23%) presented the lesions before puberty. The most frequently involved sites were anterior trunk, axilla, upper extremities, neck, and face in descending order. The most common initial clinical diagnosis was verruca plana(38%). Most of the lesions did not show self-limiting course and several treatment modalities including oral isotretinoin or CO2 laser were not so effective. All cases showed characteristic histopathologic features of syringoma and 76% of them revealed increased basal melanin pigment or pigmentary incontinence. CONCLUSION: Eruptive syringoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of flat papular lesions by histopathologic examination and it may help to avoid inappropriate therapeutic approach.