eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Benign Neoplasms

Trichoepithelioma: Follow-up

Author: Victor G Prieto, MD, PhD, Director of Dermatopathology, Professor, Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
Coauthor(s): Christopher R Shea, MD, Professor and Chief, Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 19, 2008

Follow-up

Deterrence/Prevention

No preventive measures for trichoepithelioma (TE) are known.

Complications

The persistence or recurrence of tumors is a complication, and scarring may occur after treatment.

Prognosis

Slow growth is characteristic of trichoepithelioma. Partial removal may result in persistence or recurrence. Although rare, tumors can develop high-grade carcinomas and mixed (epithelial/sarcomatous) tumors. Familial trichoepithelioma has shown an aggressive, recurrent behavior in rare cases.

Patient Education

Inform the patient that some degree of scarring will be present after treatment.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Failure to inform the patient of the possibility of scarring is a pitfall. As with many benign skin neoplasms, the patient is mainly concerned about the aesthetic appearance of the lesion. Scarring may result from all available methods for tumor removal. In patients with multiple lesions, treating 1 or 2 of the lesions and showing the patient the final result may be helpful before embarking on extensive aggressive therapy.
  • Failure to order histologic analysis to distinguish among cutaneous neoplasms presenting as small facial papules is a pitfall. The most important diagnosis would be basal cell nevus syndrome because of the much higher rate of aggressive behavior of the tumor.
  • Failure to histologically distinguish a trichoepithelioma from a basal cell carcinoma is a pitfall. Because the latter has a much higher risk of recurrence, most authors would recommend complete removal of such lesions.
  • Failure to obtain a sufficiently deep biopsy sample to allow the dermatopathologist to study most of the lesion in cases of a solitary trichoepithelioma is a pitfall. In particular, a shave biopsy of a plaquelike lesion on the lip may result in identifying the superficial portion of a microcystic adnexal carcinoma (an aggressive adnexal neoplasm) as a trichoepithelioma. Some adnexal carcinomas may show a very limited degree of cytologic atypia. In such cases, only by examining the periphery of the lesion with the characteristic infiltrative pattern allows correct diagnosis.
 


More on Trichoepithelioma

Overview: Trichoepithelioma
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Trichoepithelioma
Treatment & Medication: Trichoepithelioma
Follow-up: Trichoepithelioma
Multimedia: Trichoepithelioma
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

trichoblastoma, epithelioma adenoides cysticum, trichoepithelioma papulosum multiplex, sclerosing epithelial hamartoma, Brooke tumor, TE, basal cell carcinoma

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Victor G Prieto, MD, PhD, Director of Dermatopathology, Professor, Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center
Victor G Prieto, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Medical Association, American Society for Clinical Pathologists, American Society of Dermatopathology, College of American Pathologists, European Society of Pathology, International Society of Dermatopathology, Society for Investigative Dermatology, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Christopher R Shea, MD, Professor and Chief, Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago
Christopher R Shea, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, Arthur Purdy Stout Society, Association of Professors of Dermatology, Chicago Dermatological Society, Dermatology Foundation, Illinois Dermatological Society, International Society of Dermatopathology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Evan R Farmer, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Clinical Professor of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, VCU Health Services
Evan R Farmer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, and International Society of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Richard P Vinson, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA
Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Warren R Heymann, MD, Head, Division of Dermatology, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Warren R Heymann, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Catherine Quirk, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Brown University
Catherine Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

William D James, MD, Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Vice-Chair, Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: elsevier Royalty Other; american college of physicians Honoraria Other

 
 
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