Regional recurrence of digital papillary carcinoma in ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes 12 years after digital amputation – a case report

Abstract

Digital papillary adenocarcinoma (DPA) is a rare malignant adnexal tumour that affects 0.08 per 1,000,000 people/year.1 It often presents as a solitary painless mass in the digital extremities where eccrine sweat glands are abundant. It is reported to have a recurrence rate of 50% and 14% rate of metastasis.2 Due to its rarity and vague clinical presentation, it has frequently been misdiagnosed as a benign adnexal tumour, pyogenic granuloma and ganglion cyst. We report a rare case of regional recurrence of DPA in an ipsilateral axillary node of a 66- year-old male, 12 years after a right ring finger distal phalanx amputation.