BACKGROUND: A systematic analysis of the entire spectrum of various forms of differentiation and metaplastic epiphenomena in cutaneous apocrine mixed tumor (AMT) has never been performed. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to study a large number of cutaneous mixed tumors so as to fully characterize the entire spectrum of differentiations and metaplastic changes that may occur in the epithelial, myoepithelial, and stromal components of AMT. METHODS: This article reports a light-microscopic study of 244 cases of cutaneous AMT, complemented by a literature review. RESULTS: All types of differentiation along the lines of the folliculosebaceous-apocrine unit can be seen in AMT. The spectrum of metaplastic changes in the epithelial components includes squamous metaplasia, mucinous metaplasia, oxyphilic metaplasia, clear cell change, columnar metaplasia, hobnail metaplasia, and cytoplasmic vacuolization. The following changes in the myoepithelial component were documented: clear cell change, hyaline cells, plasmacytoid cells, spindling, and collagenous spherulosis. Stromal alterations included chondroid metaplasia, osseous metaplasia, and adipose metaplasia. LIMITATIONS: This study utilizes tissue specimens that mainly came as consultations; therefore some inherent selection bias exists. CONCLUSIONS: AMT displays a wide range of differentiation and metaplastic changes in its epithelial, myoepithelial, and stromal components. These phenomena are not mutually exclusive. When unduly prominent, they may present diagnostic pitfalls. Our findings corroborate those of previous publications, stressing the remarkable diversity of differentiation and metaplasias that may be found in cutaneous AMT. We propose that the most appropriate name for these lesions is "mixed tumor of the folliculosebaceous-apocrine complex."

Sikl's Department of Pathology Charles University Medical Faculty Hospital Pilsen Czech Republic

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Molecular analysis of apocrine mixed tumors and cutaneous myoepitheliomas: a comparative study confirming a continuous spectrum of one entity with near-ubiquitous PLAG1 and rare mutually exclusive HMGA2 gene rearrangements