Black apocrine adenocarcinoma on the cheek : A case report

Abstract

A 77－year－old man presented to our department for evaluation of a gradually enlarging left buccal dermal mass that he noticed one year prior to presentation. Initial examination showed a black elevated dermal mass (16×11 mm), and considering the possibility of malignancy, we later performed a excisional biopsy. Histopathological evaluation (hematoxylin & eosin stain) showed adenocavitary structures with nuclear atypia and a deciduous secretion with apocrine gland differentiation, which led to diagnosis of cutaneous apocrine adenocarcinoma or metastatic adenocarcinoma. Postoperative positron emission tomography－computed tomography revealed no involvement of other organs, and we diagnosed the patient with cutaneous apocrine adenocarcinoma. An additional 10-mm margin was excised at a later date, and the patient underwent reconstruction using a nasolabial flap. He had no local recurrence or metastasis, 2 years postoperatively. To our knowledge, 81 cases of apocrine adenocarcinoma have been reported in Japan ; however, this is the first case of an entirely black－colored cutaneous apocrine adenocarcinoma.[Skin Cancer (Japan) 2024 ; 39 : 41－48]