A Case of Onycholemmal Carcinoma in a 77-Year-Old Man
October 2016
in “
American Journal of Dermatopathology
”
Studysummary This report discusses a 77-year-old man with primary onycholemmal carcinoma, a rare nail bed tumor, emphasizing its slow growth, diagnostic challenges, and treatment typically involving surgical removal. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
A 77-year-old man with a history of various health issues, including lung cancer, presented with a slow-growing, painful mass on his finger, diagnosed as onycholemmal carcinoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from the nail bed. The tumor was characterized by atypical keratinocytes and specific keratinization patterns. Despite surgical removal, the patient died 4 months later due to lung cancer progression. Onycholemmal carcinoma, often misdiagnosed due to its atypical presentation, requires careful examination and biopsy for accurate diagnosis. Treatment typically involves surgical removal, though less aggressive methods have shown promise.
