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The following is a summary of “Surgical treatment of pilomatrix carcinoma: a systematic review,” published in the December 2024 issue of Dermatology by Riva et al.
Pilomatrix carcinoma (PMC) is a rare malignant hair follicle tumor that emerges from benign pilomatricoma or de novo with high recurrence and metastasis risk.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compare surgical modalities for PMC and assess the outcomes and recurrence rates.
They analyzed data from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science in July 2024 to assess surgical treatments for PMC). The study included 50 articles after screening 257, comprising 4 case series and 46 case reports with a total of 101 cases (as per the inclusion criteria).
The results showed that, of the 101 cases, 17 treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) had no recurrences, while 84 cases treated with surgical excision had a recurrence rate of 34.5%. The average follow-up duration was 7.5 months for MMS and 7.6 months for surgical excision, while MMS demonstrated superior outcomes, with no recurrences, compared to surgical excision’s 34.5% recurrence rate (P < 0.0025). No recurrences or metastases were observed in the MMS group, while the surgical excision group had significant recurrence rates.
Investigators concluded the MMS should be considered the preferred treatment modality for PMC, especially in cases where tissue sparing is crucial due to its potential for early surgical intervention and achieving true negative margins.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijd.17596
