Porocarcinoma is a rare
tumor of the eccrine sweat glands that usually disseminates to the regional lymph nodes, but it can also develop distant
metastasis. Case presentation: We report the case of a 67 year-old female patient who underwent wide surgical resection of a left cervical cutaneous
tumor in a primary care center, for which the histology exam of the specimen was mixed basal cell and
squamous cell carcinoma. She was referred to our hospital's oncology clinic and histologic re-evaluation changed the diagnosis to
eccrine porocarcinoma (
EPC). Computer-tomography (CT) revealed cervical
lymphadenopathies for which the patient underwent 4 cycles of
chemotherapy, without regression. She subsequently underwent a left upper anterior jugular
lymphadenectomy (group IIa) with all nodes being negative and, three months later, she developed a unique
adenopathy under the parotid gland that was excised and confirmed to be metastatic. Postoperative external
radiotherapy was administered with a good outcome on CT scan. Nine months after her last surgery, the patient did not show any sign of recurrence or distant
metastasis. Conclusion:
EPC is a challenge, both diagnostically and therapeutically. In the absence of consensus regarding the indications and extent of
lymphadenectomy and adjuvant
therapy, patients with
EPC should be referred to an experienced multidisciplinary team in a tertiary center.