Panfolliculoma: A Clinical Case Report

A case of retro-auricular panfolliculoma mimicking basal cell carcinoma: A rare adnexal tumor with a review of the literature

Key Clinical Message

A rare case of slow-growing retro-auricular panfolliculoma is presented. The lesion was biopsied to rule out basal cell carcinoma but histopathology revealed a follicular tumor with differentiation toward all segments of the hair follicle. Panfolliculoma is a benign follicular tumor with no report of recurrence after surgical excision and no malignant transformation of the previously reported cases.

Abstract

Panfolliculoma is a rare slow growing adnexal tumor, characterized by differentiation toward all parts of the hair follicle including the infundibulum, isthmus, stem, and bulbs. Clinically this adnexal tumor may mimick basal cell carcinoma and other adnexal neoplasm including trichoblastoma and trichoepithelioma. In this study, we present a rare case of slow-growing retro-auricular panfolliculoma of a 70-year-old female mimicking basal cell carcinoma that was successfully excised without recurrence.

Panfolliculoma: Report of the Youngest Case and Literature Review of Its Histopathologic Variants

Background: Panfolliculoma (PF) is a relative rare, benign follicular tumor comprised of all elements of the hair follicle, with a limited number of cases reported in the literature. Articles on the demographic and pathological analysis of this tumor are also lacking. Case presentation: In this report, we presented an unusual case of cystic PF on the back of a 14-year-old male, and we performed a thorough literature review and analysis of all previously reported cases. Conclusions: PF is a rare benign follicular neoplasm with characteristic differentiation toward all components of the hair follicle. In our analysis, PF occurred most frequently on the head region and was usually diagnosed in middle- to old-aged persons, with cystic PF being the most common histologic subtype. Since this tumor is rare and easily misdiagnosed as other tumors both clinically and pathologically, a thorough understanding of the histopathological manifestations and differential diagnosis of this tumor is necessary for both dermatologists and pathologists.