A clinico-pathological study of cutaneous tumors in a tertiary care centre of Eastern India

Abstract

Introduction: There is a huge spectrum of cutaneous tumors ranging from small papules to large fungating masses. Due to diversity of these tumors, there can be confusion regarding nomenclature of these tumors. Skin tumors can be confused clinically with malignancies, particularly when they are pigmented or inflamed. Hence, histopathological examination of a biopsy specimen is required to establish a definitive diagnosis and to facilitate appropriate intervention and follow up.  As a result, the study of skin tumor is perhaps more interesting and challenging than any other tumors. The present study aimed at studying the clinical profile of various benign and malignant cutaneous tumors and establishing their clinico-pathological correlation. Materials & Methods: A total of 102 consecutive patients of cutaneous tumors fulfilling the eligibility criteria were included in the study. After taking informed consent, detailed history, clinical examination and routine laboratory investigations were carried out on requirement basis. Skin biopsy was taken from representative areas and submitted for routine processing. Correlation of clinical findings with histopathological results was done to establish a final diagnosis. Results: Out of total 102 patients, 80.4% were presented with benign conditions while 19.6% were presented with malignant conditions. Most common type of tumor observed in present study was Keratinocytic (42.2%) followed by Melanocytic (18.6%). Most common individual tumor observed was Seborrheic Keratosis (27.5%), followed by Melanocytic Nevus (14.7%) and Syringoma (11.7%), while (8.8%) and (5.9%) cases of SCC and BCC were observed. Most of the pathologies were presented as either papule (55.9%) or plaque (21.6%). Growth was observed in 6 cases of SCC and two cases of melanoma. Conclusion: Seborrheic keratosis is the most common benign tumor while SCC and BCC were the most common malignant skin tumors in the study. Histopathological study is a very important step in the diagnosis of skin tumors. Key words: Cutaneous tumors, Histopathology, Seborrheic keratosis, Squamous cell carcinoma, Basal cell carcinoma.