Sebaceous carcinoma of the vulva

Abstract

Extraocular sebaceous carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm usually localized on the head and neck. Sebaceous glands are abundant on the vulva, but vulvar sebaceous carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm. To our knowledge, there are only five previously reported cases of sebaceous carcinoma on this location. We report an additional case of vulvar sebaceous carcinoma associated with Bowen's disease in the overlying epidermis. The patient also had bowenoid papulosis involving the skin of labia majora. We analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Southern blot hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques for the presence of DNA of human papilloma viruses (HPVs) in the specimen of sebaceous carcinoma and in lesions of bowenoid papulosis. Immunohistochemistry, Southern blot hybridization, and PCR studies in specimens of bowenoid papulosis lesions and sebaceous carcinoma did not detect DNA of HPVs. A significant increase in intranuclear p53 staining was demonstrated in several areas of neoplastic aggregations of sebaceous carcinoma.