Sebaceoma: a clinicopathological analysis of 31 cases

Objective To analyze clinicopathologic features of sebaceoma. Methods Clinical, pathologic and immunohistochemical findings from 31 cases of sebaceoma were retrospectively analyzed. The clinicopathologic features of sebaceoma were investigated. Results There were 9 males and 22 females. The patients′ age was 53.90 ± 15.40 years, and the clinical course was 9.41 ± 13.75 years. Sebaceoma predominantly affected the face. The common lesion of sebaceoma was red, yellowish-red, skin-colored or slight brown papules, with no subjective symptoms in most cases. Histopathologically, neoplasms had symmetric structures, and were located in the dermis. Epidermal involvements were found in 9 cases. The neoplasm cells were mainly composed of basaloid cells, a few mature sebocytes and some transition cells. The proportion of mature sebocyts was less than 1% in 26 cases, less than 20% in 2 cases, and 20%-40% in 3 cases. Mitoses were occasionally found in 5 cases. One patient was complicated by eccrine poroma. Varying amounts of ducts were found in all the patients. Immunohistochemical staining showed that epithelial membrane antigen was expressed on ducts and mature sebocytes in all the patients, while epithelial antigen was undetected in any of the patients. Carcinoembryonic antigen, androgen receptor and D2-40 were found in 20, 24 and 28 patients with sebaceoma, respectively. Conclusions The diagnosis of sebaceoma mainly depends on histopathological examination. Combined immunohistochemical detection of epithelial membrane antigen, androgen receptor and D2-40 is beneficial to its differential diagnosis. Key words: Sebaceoma; Carcinoembryonic antigen; Receptors, androgen; Epithelial membrane antigen; Epithelial antigen; D2-40