Apocrine Adenocarcinma of the Left Axilla; Report of a Case

We experienced a case of apocrine adenocarcinoma of the left axilla. The patient was an 83-year-old man, who had a reddish indurated plaque, 26×26×6mm in size and partly ulcerated, on his left axilla. Biopsy of the lesion showed the features of adenocarcinoma. Because no other neoplasm was found in other organs of the body, we considered the adenocarcinoma as a primary lesion. The patient underwent local resection of the lesion along with lymphnode biopsy under local anesthesia, as he had suffered from cerebral infarction one month before the surgery. Histopathologic examination of the excised lesion revealed features of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma showing decapitation secretions in glandular structures. The stroma showed marked fibrosis. The diagnosis of apocrine adenocarcinoma was established. The biopsied lymph node revealed metastasis to the node. After the surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy was given to the left axilla. The patient is currently well 24 months after the radiotherapy. [Skin Cancer (Japan) 2003; 18: 165-168]