Exclusive and Solitary Facial Porokeratosis: Pathogenesis and Literature Reappraisal of a Rare Entity

Porokeratosis is a group of well-known clinically distinct entities, characterised by different clinical aspects, but sharing a single common histological aspect, namely the cornoid lamella. Usually, porokeratosis occurs in the limbs and trunk, while it rarely involves the face, especially as an exclusive, single, and solitary lesion. We report the case of a 52-year-old Caucasian woman, with an 11-month history of a 2-cm slowly growing solitary, keratotic lesion on her left cheekbone. The patient did not present other cutaneous lesions on the face, as well as in other body sites. A cutaneous biopsy showed epidermal hyperplasia with multiple, sharply defined cornoid lamella, associated with an underlying attenuation of the granular layer and scattered dyskeratotic cells in the spinous layer. The superficial dermis underneath showed a mild lymphocytic infiltrate and fibrosis with remodelled collagen bundles. A final diagnosis of solitary facial porokeratosis was made.

Porokeratosis: A Review of Its Pathophysiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Porokeratosis comprises a group of heterogeneous and uncommon acquired or congenital skin diseases of unknown origin characterized by a keratinization disorder resulting from abnormal clonal expansion of keratinocytes. Numerous genetic mutations are thought to be involved. These conditions are characterized histologically by the presence of a cornoid lamella. Clinical manifestations are variable, with localized, disseminated, and even eruptive forms. Porokeratosis has been associated with immunosuppression, ultraviolet radiation, and systemic, infectious, and neoplastic diseases. Many authors consider it to be a premalignant condition because of the potential for malignant transformation to squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma. Therefore, long-term follow-up is a key component of treatment, which is usually complex and often unsatisfactory. We review the latest advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment and propose a treatment algorithm.

Treatment of Porokeratosis: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Porokeratosis (PK) is a rare skin disease of unknown etiology. It consists of a keratinization disorder, which may appear in several clinical forms and can undergo malignant transformation. The histopathological hallmark of PK is the cornoid lamella. While many topical, systemic, and surgical treatment modalities for PK have been described, no randomized controlled trials have been performed yet. Because of a lack of treatment standards for PK, European and international guidelines cannot be created.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review is to outline options for treating PK.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search in an electronic database for published literature. A total of 88 articles fulfilling our inclusion criteria were found.

RESULTS

There were no randomized controlled trials on the treatment of PK, but mainly case reports and case series. Porokeratosis of Mibelli showed the best outcomes after treatment with imiquimod cream and linear PK responded well to topical or systemic retinoids. Topical vitamin D acid derivatives may be the best therapeutic option for disseminated PK. Surgical interventions and cryotherapy may be preferred in areas where the use of topical agents is difficult or contraindicated.

CONCLUSION

To offer patients with PK an evidence-based high-quality standardized therapy, randomized controlled trials are needed.

Porokeratosis - Head to toe: An unusual presentation

Porokeratosis is a disorder of epidermal proliferation in which many different clinical variants can be distinguished. Herein we report a rare case of porokeratosis involving almost all parts of the body with simultaneous occurrence of various forms of the disease in the same individual (classical porokeratosis of Mibelli, disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, hypertrophic porokeratosis, and genital porokeratosis).

A case of disseminated superficial porokeratosis associated with giant porokeratosis in pregnancy

A 23-year-old pregnant lady presented with dark raised lesions over face, axillae, and upper limbs of 15-day duration. She was 35 weeks pregnant at the time of onset of the lesions. Dermatological examination revealed hyperpigmented plaques on the face and papules with raised borders in the axillae and proximal arms. Skin biopsy from both the lesions revealed a diagnosis of porokeratosis. She was treated with emollients alone and the lesions regressed four weeks following delivery. This case is being reported for the rare occurrence of the combination of disseminated superficial porokeratosis with giant porokeratosis in pregnancy.

Follicular Porokeratosis at alae Nasi; A Case Report and Short Review of Literature

Porokeratosis are disorders of keratinization, characterized histologically by a parakeratotic column, the cornoid lamellae, and clinically by a distinct peripheral ridge. Porokeratosis usually occurs on the trunk or extremities, and facial lesions are rare. Follicular involvement, identified by follicular localization of cornoid lamellae, is uncommon and described only in association with disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) and porokeratosis Mibelli (PM). A 34-Year- old woman is presented with asymptomatic 1 cm plaque lesion with hyperkeratotic ridge and depressed center on her nose since three years. Histopathological examination of a biopsy revealed cornoid lamellae confined exclusively to the follicle.

Porokeratosis of Mibelli--literature review and a case report

Porokeratosis is a disorder of epidermal keratinization characterized by annular plaques with an atrophic center and hyperkeratotic edges, and includes a heterogeneous group of disorders that are mostly inherited in an autosomal dominant form. This report describes a 5 year-old female patient, with porokeratosis of Mibelli confirmed histopathologically. The rarity of this disorder, its clinical exuberance and the destructive character of the lesions, as well as the facial and mucosal involvements, unusual in this form of porokeratosis, and also its onset in early childhood motivated this report.