Abstract
We describe 12 cutaneous and soft tissue myoepitheliomas, most of them in elderly patients. Morphologically the cutaneous and soft tissue myoepitheliomas revealed the same spectrum as their salivary gland counterparts. They were composed of a mixture of spindle, epithelioid and clear myoepithelial cells. Immunohistochemically they were positive to keratins and S-100 protein and reacted inconsistently with antibodies to smooth muscle actin. Morphologically they lacked any folliculo-sebaceous or apocrine differentiation. We believe that they are related to the eccrine type of cutaneous mixed tumours. Most cases had a benign behaviour, but 1 tumour metastasized, and the patient died of the tumour. Myoepitheliomas of soft tissues should be distinguished from other neoplasms with epithelial differentiation and from ossifying fibromyxoid tumour of soft parts, parachordoma and extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 6 July 1998 / Accepted: 5 December 1998
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Michal, M., Miettinen, M. Myoepitheliomas of the skin and soft tissues . Virchows Archiv 434, 393–400 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004280050358
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004280050358