Clear cell acanthoma of the areola and nipple: clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features of two Brazilian cases*

Clear cell acanthoma or Degos' acanthoma is a distinct disease concerning its clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features. Its pathologic nature - whether neoplastic or reactive - is still under dispute among researchers. The disease shows a chronic course and often presents with a single papulonodular lesion on the lower limbs of adults. However, cases with multiple lesions, sometimes occurring in an eruptive fashion, and with clear variation in the size and shape of the cutaneous lesions have been reported. So far, five cases in which the lesions were exclusively located in the nipple area have been reported, all in Korean women. Four of these cases mimicked eczema and one, a polypoid nodule. The aim of this article is to present clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features of two additional cases in Brazilian women with similar nipple topography.(AU) O acantoma de celulas claras ou acantoma de Degos e uma doenca bem individualizada quanto aos seus aspectos clinicos, histopatologicos e imuno-histoquimicos. Sua natureza patologica - se neoplasica ou reativa - ainda e debatida por pesquisadores. De evolucao cronica, ocorre predominantemente nos membros inferiores de adultos, em geral como lesao papulonodular unica. Entretanto, foram observados casos com lesoes multiplas, por vezes de carater eruptivo, e com notavel variacao de tamanho e forma das eflorescencias cutâneas. Ha relatos de cinco casos com localizacao exclusiva na areola e no mamilo, quatro simulando eczema e um como nodulo polipoide; todos ocorridos em mulheres coreanas. O objetivo deste trabalho e apresentar os aspectos clinicos, histopatologicos e imuno-histoquimicos de dois novos casos da doenca, com identica topografia areolomamilar, observados em mulheres brasileiras.(AU)