Desmoplastic Trichoepithelioma: Histopathologic and Immunohistochemical Criteria for Differentiation of a Rare Benign Hair Follicle Tumor From Other Cutaneous Adnexal Tumors

The document reviews the characteristics of desmoplastic trichoepitheliomas (DTEs), which are benign tumors originating from hair follicles, often found on the face. These tumors can be mistaken for other skin cancers due to their aggressive growth and similar histologic and immunohistochemical features. The review included a systematic search of 65 journal articles, from which 42 were chosen for their descriptions of clinical features, etiology, histopathology, and immunohistochemical characteristics of DTEs and other cutaneous tumors. After a quality assessment, 10 studies were selected that highlighted the differentiating features between DTEs and other cutaneous tumors such as morphea basal cell carcinoma, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, syringoma, and cutaneous breast carcinoma. The review indicates that while recent immunohistochemistry and histopathological studies have aided in distinguishing between these tumors, there is still a need for further research to fully understand the specific traits that differentiate these cutaneous tumors.