Generalised eruptive syringoma--a papular dermatosis

A Case Study and Review of Literature of Eruptive Syringoma in a Six-Year-Old

Syringomas are benign tumors originating from the intraepidermal portion of eccrine sweat ducts. A six-year-old African American female presented with multiple 2-3 mm hyperpigmented papules over the neck, upper chest, and axillae bilaterally. The lesions were non-tender, non-pruritic, and did not bleed when lightly scraped. A café-au-lait macule was incidentally found in the mid-back of the patient. Histopathologically, multiple small ducts displaying a tadpole-shaped/paisley-tie pattern with fibrotic stroma were identified on hematoxylin and eosin staining. Epithelium showing nests of cells with basaloid appearance and dilated glands filled with eosinophilic material were also identified. These histopathologic findings were consistent with a diagnosis of eruptive syringoma. The patient was treated conservatively, and the lesions subsided without intervention. In most patients requesting treatment, isotretinoin is used; however, this may be an unnecessary measure in many patients. Overall, this case was significant due to the patient's young age, ethnicity, and clinical improvement in the absence of treatment.

Coexistence of eruptive syringoma and bilateral nipple vitiligo: Could there be a common immunopathogenesis?

The rarely seen eruptive syringoma (ES) is characterized by small, skin-colored, papules. Lesions are benign; however, treatment is often unsuccessful. Recent studies have a suggested role of the autoimmune response, rather than reactive proliferation of acrosyringium in the pathogenesis of ES. There are reports in the literature of an association between syringoma and diabetes mellitus as well as alopecia areata, which support a theory of an autoimmune role; however, there has been no report of coexistence of ES and vitiligo thus far. Presently described is a case of bilateral nipple vitiligo and eruptive syringoma in a 29-year old female.

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.

Generalized eruptive syringoma

Eruptive syringoma is a very rare variant of syringoma. It is a benign adnexal tumor of the intraepidermal portion of eccrine sweat ducts. Here we report a 32-year-old female presented with classical asymptomatic eruptive syringomas involving her face and extremities.

Eruptive syringoma developed over a waxing skin area

Syringomas are benign, eccrine, sweat gland tumors that clinically appear as small skin-colored or yellow papules. Eruptive syringomas are rare variants that typically develop on the body's cutaneous anterior surface. Syringomas on the genital area have rarely been reported, although several authors maintain that syringoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pubic pruritic papular dermatitis. We present a case of a 31-year-old man with multiple, eruptive, asymptomatic papules involving the pubic area developed after waxing of the zone. Histological examination revealed disseminated syringomata. We postulate that the lesions were induced by depilation with a subsequently reactive inflammatory process resulting in a hyperplastic reaction of the eccrine ducts. This case supports the previous hypothesis suggesting that some of the so-called "eruptive syringomas" may start as a primary inflammatory eccrine reaction.

Multiple subclinical syringomatous proliferations encountered during Mohs surgery for basal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Examination of Mohs surgery frozen sections may lead to discovery of incidental benign neoplasms such as syringomas.

OBJECTIVE

An unusual occurrence of numerous subclinical syringomatous proliferations discovered during Mohs surgery for a basal cell carcinoma that posed a diagnostic and management dilemma is reported.

METHODS

Clinical records and histologic sections are examined.

RESULT

Multiple syringomatous proliferations were noted around a basal cell carcinoma during Mohs surgery. A few foci were atypical appearing and focally extending into the deep dermis causing a diagnostic dilemma. All atypical syringomatous proliferations were excised. Evaluation of final Mohs margins by permanent sections and biopsies of normal-appearing facial skin showed multiple benign syringomas.

CONCLUSION

Although solitary subclinical syringomas have been described in association with basal cell carcinomas, the occurrence of multiple syringomas and syringomatous proliferations has not been previously reported. Dermatologists should be aware of the existence of this phenomenon and consider permanent section evaluation to better determine nature of unusual incidental tumors identified in frozen sections during Mohs surgery.

An approach to clinical dermatologic diagnosis based on morphologic reaction patterns

How do dermatologists examine a patient and instantly generate a differential diagnosis? Of course, as in any other field, experience plays a large role. After a condition with a distinctive appearance is seen hundreds of times, recognition becomes automatic. Nevertheless, dermatologists need to employ a disciplined mental process to generate a differential diagnosis from clinical findings. From the perspective of clinical diagnosis, all dermatology falls into 2 separate categories--inflammatory and neoplastic. The reaction pattern technique discussed in this article relates only to inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and urticaria. This article describes an approach to differential dermatologic diagnosis based on clinical reaction patterns.

Eruptive syringoma: 27 new cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Eruptive syringomas are uncommon eccrine sweat gland tumours. Only 64 cases have been reported in the literature.

OBJECTIVE

Clinical findings of 27 patients with eruptive syringomas were reviewed over a 47-year period.

RESULTS

The tumours appeared as multiple yellow-brown-coloured papules localized on the neck, anterior trunk, axillae, shoulders, abdomen or pubic area. This disorder occurs more frequently among women, and is frequent in the prepubertal as well as in the postpubertal age. The diagnosis was not clinically suspected in most cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Eruptive syringomas have to be considered in differential diagnosis of papular dermatosis at any age.

The Treatment of Eruptive Syringomas in an African American Patient with a Combination of Trichloroacetic Acid and CO2Laser Destruction

BACKGROUND

Eruptive syringomas are uncommon benign adnexal neoplasms. They are numerous and disseminated and often have a predilection for the neck, face, chest, and axillary fossae. Because they are persistent, usually numerous, and often on exposed sites, the lesions may be disfiguring and often pose significant cosmetic concerns for patients. Many treatment modalities such as dermabrasion, electrodesiccation with curettage, and scissors excision have been tried with some success, but more recently lasers have provided good to excellent results.

OBJECTIVE

To describe an approach to the treatment of eruptive syringomas in an African American patient with a combination of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and CO2 laser resurfacing, providing acceptable cosmetic results without significant side effects.

METHODS

We describe an African American patient with eruptive syringomas of the face treated with a combination of TCA and CO2 laser resurfacing with good results.

RESULTS

While the syringomas were not completely ablated, the combination of TCA and CO2 laser resurfacing provided acceptable cosmetic results without significant side effects.

CONCLUSION

The TCA pretreatment probably removed some of the bulk of the surface of the lesions, thereby reducing the number of laser passes required to flatten the remainder of the lesions and thus lessening the potential for thermal damage at the treated sites and of surrounding normal skin.