Chapter 12 - Nonmelanocytic Nail Tumors

Abstract

All cells and tissues of the nail apparatus can give rise to neoplastic lesions. Given the special anatomy of the nail apparatus, symptoms, and ungual signs of these tumors, they may look similar to other different nail diseases, making difficult the clinical diagnosis. Nail tumors cause nail deformation and partial or total destruction of the nail plate owing to the chronic pressure on the matrix or the nail bed. Nonmelanocytic nail tumors can be divided into epithelial, soft tissue, bone, pseudo, and metastatic tumors. In this chapter we present a review of the most frequent nonmelanocytic tumors of the nail apparatus.