Vulvar pruritus caused by syringoma of the vulva

Case series of rare nonvenereal vulvar dermatoses

Nonvenereal vulvar diseases such as syringoma and vestibular papillomatosis can be difficult to differentiate from genital warts. Misdiagnosis of these conditions can lead to improper treatment without significant improvement and prolonged suffering. Histopathology may differentiate these conditions from sexually transmitted diseases and help in appropriate treatment. Here, we present case series of four rare vulvar diseases.

Syringoma: A clinicopathological study of 244 cases

BACKGROUND

Syringomas are benign tumours of the sweat glands, the most familiar clinical presentation of which is the presence of multiple lesions on the eyelids. The aim of our study was to determine the clinical and histological characteristics of a large series of patients and to examine anatomoclinical correlations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study conducted in all of the cases of syringoma analysed at the cutaneous histopathology laboratory in Strasbourg between 1970 and 2008. The clinical elements, patient history and diagnostic data were collated. All slides were re-read in order to determine the microscopic characteristics of the lesions.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty-four lesions were included. The sex ratio was 0.27 and the mean age was 42 years (8 to 85 years). Multiple syringomas were noted in 76% of cases, of which 29.2% were eruptive, and one case occurred in a setting of metastatic melanoma. The sites of predilection were the face (56.7%, of which 36.3% on the eyelids), the chest (18.1%) and the neck (17.5%) for the multiple forms. The lesions were in the form of papules (67%), either brown (34.2%) or flesh-coloured (19.8%). Pruritus was reported in 14 cases, including 4 at vulvar sites (out of a total of 8). A diagnosis of syringoma was made by the clinician in only 30.2% of the multiple forms, with mastocytosis being proposed in 7.1% of cases. The clear-cell forms (18 cases) presented no special clinical features.

CONCLUSION

Syringomas are frequently multiple and are seen mainly in women. They are found predominantly on the face and trunk, and lesions are generally brown and pruritic, a little-known feature that accounts for the degree of diagnostic confusion with mastocytosis. The vulvar forms, which are often pruritic, are poorly known. The eruptive forms may include a hormonal component.

Evaluation and management of the patient with multiple syringomas: A systematic review of the literature

Syringomas are benign adnexal tumors with distinct histopathologic features, including the characteristic comma ("tadpole") shaped tail comprised of dilated, cystic eccrine ducts. Clinically, syringomas typically present in adolescent females predominantly in the periorbital region. They may present as solitary or multiple lesions, and more rare sites of involvement include the genitals, palms, scalp, and the chest. Over the past 50 years, there have been >800 reported cases of syringoma either alone or in conjunction with a systemic syndrome, most commonly Down syndrome. The primary aim of this systematic review is to discuss the clinical features and associations of syringomas with a focus on the patient with multiple syringomas. Its secondary aims are to explore pathophysiology with a focus on multiple syringomas and provide comprehensive data on both traditional and novel treatments. Importantly, multiple syringomas present across a broad clinical spectrum. Though noted in many textbooks to be related to tumor syndromes, the association of syringomas with inherited tumor syndromes is only rarely reported in the literature. Despite multiple reported cases of syringoma, the pathophysiology remains poorly understood and treatment continues to pose a significant challenge.

Vulvar nonclear cell syringoma associated with pruritus and diabetes mellitus

Background. Syringoma is a benign eccrine sweat gland tumor, characterized by multiple skin colored or slightly yellowish papules. Vulvar syringoma without extragenital involvement is an extremely rare variant of syringoma. Mail Observations. Herein, we report a 40-year-old diabetic female patient who presented with only lichenified plaques on the vulvar region without any extragenital lesions. Diagnosis of vulvar syringoma was made depending on the characteristic double lined cystic enlargements and comma-like tails found in histopathological examination. Immunohistochemical stains for estrogen and progesterone receptors were negative. Conclusion. Vulvar syringoma may present with no obvious papules on lichenified plaques.