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January 2022     Volume 6 Issue 1 
 

(c) 2022 THE AUTHORS. Published by the National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. 82 

SKINmages 
 

 

Recognizing Adnexal Tumors in Skin of Color 
 

Jessica Kay Sterner, BA1, Benjamin Rushing, BA2, Gage Rensch, MD3 

 
1 University of Missouri School of Medicine 
2 University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine 
3 Tulane University Department of Dermatology 
 

 
 

 
 
 

The eccrine poroma is a benign adnexal 
tumor composed of epithelial cells 
originating from the terminal duct of the 
sweat gland. The tumor is rare, with an 
incidence of 0.001 to 0.008%.1 Radiation 
exposure has been suggested to trigger the 
development of poromas as case reports 
have documented multiple poromas in areas 
of chronic radiation dermatitis. Poromas are 
not known to have any ethnic, racial, familial 

or sex predilection.2 Patients of any age may 
be affected, but incidence increases in 
adulthood. Poromas typically present as an 
asymptomatic, slow-growing papule, nodule, 
or plaque. Their color can vary from skin-
colored, red, brown, or bluish, and typically 
occur on the palms and soles.3  
 
Our patient was a 64-year-old Mexican male 
presenting to dermatology clinic for a lesion 



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January 2022     Volume 6 Issue 1 
 

(c) 2022 THE AUTHORS. Published by the National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. 83 

on his left abdomen. He reported that the 
lesion had been slowly enlarging for two 
years and was asymptomatic. The patient 
had no personal or family history of skin 
cancer. Physical examination revealed a 
pink to grey, polypoid tumor on the left 
abdomen (Figure 1). The differential 
diagnosis included acrochordon, condyloma, 
verrucous carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, 
and melanoma. Histopathology showed a 
polypoid tumor with a markedly acanthotic 
epidermis with broad interconnecting rete 
containing small uniform rounded squamous 
cells. There were foci of vacuoles 
compatible with poral differentiation and 
some gland-like lumina. The tumor was 
diagnosed as an eccrine poroma. There 
were some pigmented cells and a Melan-A 
immunostain highlighted some dendritic 
melanocytes in focal areas within the tumor. 
This case highlights the importance of 
recognizing pigmented adnexal tumors in 
skin of color and represents a rare location 
for an eccrine poroma.  
 
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None 
 
Funding: None 
 
Acknowledgements: Andrea Murina, MD 
 
Corresponding Author: 
Jessica Sterner, BS 
1 Hospital Dr.  
Columbia, MO 65212 
Phone: 6362190780 
Email: jksdm3@health.missouri.edu 

 
 
References: 
1. Cárdenas ML, Díaz CJ, Rueda R. Pigmented 

Eccrine Poroma in abdominal region, a rare 
presentation. Colomb Med (Cali). 
2013;44(2):115-117. Published 2013 Jun 30. 

 
2. Ahmed jan N, Masood S. Poroma. [Updated 

2021 Jul 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure 
Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. 

 

3. Wankhade V, Singh R, Sadhwani V, Kodate P. 
Eccrine poroma. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2015 
Jul-Aug;6(4):304-5. doi: 10.4103/2229-
5178.160296. PMID: 26225348; PMCID: 
PMC4513423. 

 

 

mailto:jksdm3@health.missouri.edu