Mohs micrographic surgery for eccrine porocarcinoma: an update and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND

Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) is a rare malignancy of the eccrine sweat glands that is locally aggressive with a high propensity to metastasize. Most cases have been treated by wide local excision (WLE) with 20% local recurrence rate. There have been 20 cases of EPC treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) in the literature.

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature regarding the management of this aggressive tumor using MMS.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was conducted by searching the PubMed database using the keywords Mohs, porocarcinoma, malignant eccrine poroma, and eccrine neoplasms.

RESULTS

Most of the reported cases of EPC were treated by WLE, and only 20 cases were treated with MMS. Of the 20 EPC cases treated with MMS, there was only 1 nodal recurrence and no local recurrence. Other reported treatment modalities include radiation and excision with frozen sections. The authors report the second case of EPC on the temple, and the 21st case successfully treated with MMS.

CONCLUSION

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm with potentially aggressive clinical behavior. In cases where tissue conservation is important, MMS should be considered.