Malignant proliferating trichilemmal cyst of the scalp: histological aspects and nosology.

BACKGROUND

Malignant proliferating trichilemmal cyst is a rare tumour usually located on the scalp of elderly women. About 40 cases of malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumour have been documented.

CASE REPORT: We report a case of a malignant proliferating trichilemmal cyst of the scalp in a 57-year-old woman. On the vertex she had a voluminous vegetated and multinodular tumour measuring 7 x 5 cm with spontaneous and abundant bleeding, and another lesion of the scalp corresponding to a trichilemmal cyst. Based on histopathological findings, the case was diagnosed as malignant proliferating trichilemmal cyst.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic, clinicoprognostic and histological features of this tumour are discussed. Treatment is not yet standardized given its rarity.