Digital Papillary Carcinoma: A Literature Review of Epidemiology, Management Strategies, and Patient Outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Digital papillary carcinoma (DPC) is a rare tumor arising from the sweat glands, often occurring in the digits of the hands or feet with metastatic potential.

OBJECTIVE

To present a literature review of the epidemiology, management modalities, disease progression, and outcome data on DPC.

METHODS

Using the OVID platform, MEDLINE and Embase were searched for studies providing original data on DPC.

RESULTS

A total of 155 cases of DPC from 81 articles were included. No case of recurrence was reported after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) ( n = 3), 28% of cases had recurrence after excision ( n = 46), 29% of cases had recurrence after amputation ( n = 24), and 67% with biopsy alone ( n = 3). Majority of DPCs were located on the right side of the body (68%) within the upper extremities (75%). The third finger of the hand was most affected (37%) compared to the other digits.

CONCLUSION

No clear consensus on the optimal management of DPC has emerged. Excision and amputation have shown comparable recurrence rates. MMS may be a viable treatment but was based on a small sample size. Majority of DPC cases are nonrecurring and nonmetastatic, with low reported rates of death. Ultimately, more comprehensive data are needed to establish optimal treatment guidelines for DPC.