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VIDEO: Clinical differences can help identify adnexal primary vs. metastatic carcinoma

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NEW YORK — Jane L. Messina, MD, an anatomic pathologist of the Melanoma Research Center of Excellence at Moffitt Cancer Center, discussed the issues associated with distinguishing between adnexal primary carcinoma and metastatic melanoma at HemOnc Today Melanoma and Cutaneous Malignancies.

Although both diseases are rare, metastatic carcinoma tumors are more commonly encountered in routine care than adnexal carcinoma; however, a head and neck tumor is more likely to be an adnexal primary while chest and abdomen tumors favor metastatic carcinoma, she said.

“A directed panel, such as p40/p63 or cytokeratin 5/6 can help identify adnexal origin up to 90% of the time,” Messina added. “And when in doubt, lineage-specific immunohistochemical stains are useful.”