Cribriform apocrine carcinoma (primary cutaneous)

Case 1123  13.10.14  (M.Hurt)  F 87 leg 

Very rare tumour.  Looks a bit syringomatous at low power.  Has a cribriform pattern and extends deeply.  Cells are large, pleomorphic and hyperchromatic with apocrine “snouting”.  CEA and EMA +ve. 

Wide differential: 

DD: Adenoid cystic carcinoma – this has a stereotyped pattern and neural involvement Syringomatous carcinoma – shows uniform rather than cribriform tubular arrangement 

MCAC – gradient of tubules rather than cribriform pattern 

Adenosquamous carcinoma – doesn’t show cribriform pattern 

Ref:  Rütten A.  J Am Acad Dermatol 2009; 61(40:  644-51. 

Case 1293   8.6.15  (M. Hurt)  M 53 arm 

Circumscribed nodule containing lobules of basaloid cells in cords, forming ducts with apocrine secretion and a cribriform pattern.  Cells are slightly pleomorphic and hyperchromatic.  Collagenous stroma.  Low grade adnexal carcinoma with good prognosis. 

Case 1502  28.3.16  (M. Hurt)  M 69 neck 

Focal dermal infiltrative pattern suggested a metastasis, probably adenoca.  However, circumscribed proliferation of interconnected ducts, some of which have cribriform patterns. There is nuclear pleomorphism of the cells within these cribriform patterns, some of them containing mitotic figures. Generally high nuclear cytoplasmic ratios and some degree of nuclear pleomorphism is characteristic in this lesion 

CK7++; CAM5.2+; EMA+. 

Case 2786  11.3.21 (S. Taibjee)  Nodule forearm ? dermatofibroma ? sarcoid (*teaching) 

Distinctive histology – variant of cutaneous apocrine carcinoma.  Limbs common site. 

Ref:  Rutten A, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2009;61:644-51 

Case 4082 13.9.22 (U. Sundram) F 45 lesion on arm 

Dermal nodule of ductal structures showing cribriform pattern, and separated by thin septae/strands – mucinous stroma.