Hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola in a patient with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis

Severe Bilateral Hyperkeratosis of the Nipples and Areolae: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background

Hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola (HNA) is a rare skin disease with unknown etiology. Some patients are misdiagnosed or never diagnosed, especially during the early stage of this disease. In addition, the mechanism involved in the development of HNA is still unknown, and genomic alterations have not been reported anywhere.

Case Information

A 26-year-old female suffered gradual bilateral areola thickening and enlargement, with accompanying intense itching, and was diagnosed with HNA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. No obvious abnormalities were found in laboratory test examinations such as hormone testing for estrogen, progesterone, or prolactin. Typical papillomatous skin with orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis and numerous infiltrating lymphocytes was detected through a histopathological examination. The results from RNA-sequencing showed that the molecular expression between HNA and a normal nipple and areola (NNA) was obviously different. No significant difference was found in the bilateral lesions. In addition, immune-related cell signaling pathways were overactivated in HNA compared to the control HNA.

Conclusion

The typical symptoms, clinical features, and histopathological alterations presented in this case lead to a profound understanding of HNA, which can avoid the misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of this disease at an early stage. The dysfunction of the local immune system, which was demonstrated by pathological examination and genomic analysis, suggests that anti-autoimmune therapy, such as steroid medication, may be an effective treatment for HNA at an early stage.

Diseases of the male nipple and areola

The male nipple-areola-complex (NAC) is a residual organ without physiologic functions in the male. It possesses similar hormone sensitivity and sexual sensitivity as the female organ. The location of the NAC on the chest wall with respect to other surface features is relevant for the male appearance. All known disseminated skin diseases may involve the nipple and areola. A number of specific localized diseases have been described in the literature, such as mammillary eczema, demodicidosis, lymphadenosis cutis benigna, nevoid hyperkeratosis, and thelalgia. Special attention is required if nipple discharge is observed. Areolar sebaceous hyperplasia and nearly all kinds of benign cutaneous tumors occur on the nipple and areola. Malignant tumors such as basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, Paget disease and other forms of breast cancer may also be found. In addition, aberrant mammary tissue may occur with a broad clinical spectrum, while absence of the nipple is an unusual observation and occurs in rare syndromes. The association of aberrant mammary tissue with urinary tract malformations has not been confirmed.