Role of radiation therapy in the management of malignant chondroid syringoma

Abstract

Background: Malignant sweat gland neoplasms are exceedingly rare tumors. Malignant chondroid syringoma (MCS) is one of the rarest subtypes, and as such, still poorly understood. It lacks distinctive clinical features, often delaying initial diagnosis and therapeutic management.

Objective: A current case and the available literature are reviewed to determine the overall clinical course of the MCS and the potential role of adjuvant therapy.

Methods: A case of MCS was studied by light microscope, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. The clinical data of this case and of other reported cases are summarized and compared.

Results: This tumor recurred locally after initial local excision. Subsequent re-excision and radiation therapy rendered the patient without evidence of disease. This case study and the literature review of the 20 reported cases indicate that MCS is highly recurrent with tendency toward metastasis.

Conclusion: MCS appears to behave in an aggressive manner. An initial treatment modality is aggressive surgery. Adjuvant radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy should be tried in future cases.