Metastastic Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking Genital Herpes

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CASE REPORT

Metastastic vulvar squamous cell carcinoma


mimicking genital herpes
Jennifer D. Bahner, MD,* Jeffrey F. Scott, MD,* Pezhman Shoureshi, DO,
Kord Honda, MD, and Meg R. Gerstenblith, MD
Cleveland, Ohio
Key words: cutaneous metastatic carcinoma; genital herpes; vulvar squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION
Abbreviations used:
Metastatic disease to the skin can be difficult to
diagnose clinically because it often mimics many HSV: herpes simplex virus
SCC: squamous cell carcinoma
infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic skin condi-
tions. Cutaneous metastases can present as dermal or
subcutaneous nodules, exophytic tumors resem-
bling melanoma or nonmelanoma skin cancer, Bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy was noted.
erythematous patches and plaques resembling Direct fluorescent antibody testing and viral cultures
erysipelas or eczema, or indurated plaques resem- were negative for HSV and varicella zoster viruses.
bling morphea or scleroderma.1 Rarely, cutaneous Tissue culture was negative for bacteria, fungi, and
metastases present as grouped papulo-vesicles acid-fast bacilli. Histopathologic examination of a
resembling herpes group virus infections.1 vesicle edge found focal epidermal necrosis, intra-
epidermal spongiform vesiculation, and mononu-
clear cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, prominent
CASE REPORT nucleoli, and atypical mitotic figures filling superfi-
A 76-year-old woman with a history of stage IV cial and deep dermis and extending into the subcu-
vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and recurrent taneous fat (Fig 2, A and B). The atypical
genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections was mononuclear cells abut but do not arise from the
seen by the inpatient dermatology consult service for epidermis, and these cells stained strongly with
a 1-week history of a burning sensation in the groin antibodies against AE1/AE3 and CAM5.2, confirming
that was followed by the appearance of a vesicular their epithelial origin (Fig 2, C ). The current biopsy
rash. Invasive, poorly differentiated SCC of the of the suprapubic skin was compared with the
anterior aspect of the vagina with metastases to the patients prior vulvar SCC biopsy and results were
right pubic ramus and inguinal and iliac lymph nodes found to be compatible with metastatic poorly
was diagnosed 4 months before presentation. The differentiated vulvar SCC. The patient was dis-
patient was treated with a combination of cisplatin charged to hospice 5 days after biopsy and subse-
and radiation, with her treatment course complicated quently died 1 day later.
by radiation dermatitis, a vesicovaginal fistula,
bladder outlet obstruction, and sacral decubitus
ulcers, for which the patient required debridement DISCUSSION
and placement of a suprapubic catheter. Vulvar cancer is uncommon, accounting for only
Physical examination found a cachectic white 5% of female genitourinary malignancies.2 Vulvar
woman with grouped tense vesicles on an erythem- SCC accounts for more than 90% of all vulvar
atous base involving the suprapubic skin (Fig 1). malignancies and presents in 2 different histologic

From the Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Case JAAD Case Reports 2016;2:387-9.
Medical Center. 2352-5126
*
Coefirst authors. 2016 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published
Funding sources: This work was supported by grants from The by Elsevier, Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-
Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation and The Derma- NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/
tology Foundation. 4.0/).
Conflicts of interest: None declared. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jdcr.2016.08.004
Correspondence to: Jeffrey F. Scott, MD, University Hospitals Case
Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, 11100 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland, OH 44106. E-mail: Jeffrey.scott@uhhospitals.org.

387
388 Bahner et al JAAD CASE REPORTS
SEPTEMBER 2016

Fig 1. Clinical appearance of the acute eruption involving


the suprapubic skin, consisting of tense vesicles on an
erythematous base.

fashions with distinct etiologies.2 The keratinizing


histologic type is observed in postmenopausal
women who often have a history of autoimmune
disease or chronic inflammatory disease, such as
lichen sclerosus et atrophicus or erosive lichen
planus.2 The basaloid or warty histologic type, which
carries a more favorable prognosis, classically occurs Fig 2. Histopathologic examination of a punch biopsy
in young women who are infected with oncogenic from the edge of a vesicle. A and B, Focal epidermal
strains of the human papillomavirus.2 necrosis, intraepidermal spongiform vesiculation, and
Vulvar SCC can metastasize through direct exten- mononuclear cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, prominent
sion to neighboring structures, lymphatic spread to nucleoli, and atypical mitotic figures filling the dermis and
regional lymph nodes, or hematogenous dissemina- extending to the subcutaneous fat. C, The atypical mono-
tion to distant sites.3 Cutaneous metastases from nuclear cells abut but do not arise from the epidermis, and
vulvar malignancies are exceedingly rare, with fewer these cells stained strongly with antibodies against AE1/
than 10 cases reported in the literature to date.3 AE3 and CAM5.2 (A and B, Hematoxylin-eosin stain and C,
immunohistochemistry; original magnifications: A, 34; B,
Cutaneous metastases from vulvar SCC, in particular,
320.)
have presented as multiple, disseminated violaceous
nodules, erythematous tumors, and lymphangioma presentation of cutaneous metastases highlights the
circumscriptum.4,5 This case represents a unique importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion
morphologic presentation of cutaneous metastases for occult metastatic disease and low threshold
from vulvar SCC masquerading as a recurrent vesic- for biopsy when new vesicular skin lesions develop
ular HSV infection. in individuals with a history of genitourinary
Both primary and metastatic cutaneous malig- malignancy.
nancies are reported to mimic HSV infections,
including melanoma.1,6 In 2 cases, intermittently REFERENCES
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