Giant pilomatrixoma revisited

Abstract

Pilomatrixoma is a common benign tumor of childhood; however, the correct diagnosis is rare. The fast-growing, giant pilomatrixomas frequently confused with some other malign conditions necessitating excess workup and over surgeries. The aim of this review is to identify the specific presenting complaints of the patients, clinical and radiological findings. A 13-year-old adolescent male patient was presented with a rapidly growing, large, solid cheek mass. The mass was removed from an intraoral mucosal incision. Although the patient had an infection after the surgery, the postoperative course was otherwise unremarkable, and the patient had no incision scar on the cheek. The initial diagnosis for rapidly growing masses is generally infection and malignity. When the presurgical diagnostic tests are not interpretational, total extirpation and pathological examinations are necessary. Pilomatrixoma, as a very common benign childhood tumor, has specific clinical features that may remind the entity to the physician. During the diagnosis of fast-growing, painless, large masses of head, neck, and upper extremities, pilomatrixoma should be among the differential diagnosis. By looking for the tent and seesaw signs, one can avoid the unnecessary workup for pilomatrixoma.