Acantholytic Dyskeratoses of the Vulva: Clinicopathologic Characterization of 16 Cases and Review of the Literature

Abstract

The vulva and perineum are rarely involved by acantholytic dyskeratoses, including Hailey-Hailey disease, Darier disease, papular acantholytic dyskeratosis of the genitocrural area, acantholytic dyskeratotic acanthoma, and warty dyskeratoma. These entities show broad histomorphologic overlap, generally requiring clinical correlation for definitive classification. This institutional series aims to better characterize vulvar acantholytic dyskeratoses and provide a practical literature review and diagnostic aid for gynecologic pathologists. Our institutional archives contained 16 vulvar acantholytic dyskeratoses diagnosed between 1990 and 2023. Affected patients were 36 to 79 (mean, 58) years old and presented with one or more asymptomatic (n = 9) or pruritic (n = 6) lesions involving the vulva (predominantly the labia majora), with additional perineal involvement in 2. Four patients have known Hailey-Hailey disease. Eleven cases comprised singular, raised, erythematous, or skin-colored papules, measuring 0.2 to 0.6 (mean, 0.3) cm. Two patients had oligofocal (both with known Hailey-Hailey disease) vulvar lesions, and 2 had multifocal vulvar lesions (one with known Hailey-Hailey disease). Histologically, all showed acantholysis and dyskeratoses (abundant in 8, focal in 8, with corps ronds generally more conspicuous than corps grains). Additional features included suprabasal clefting (n = 14), dermal papillomatosis (n = 12), and acanthosis (n = 8). Adnexal involvement was rare (n = 1). No histologic features reliably distinguished sporadic versus syndromic acantholytic dyskeratoses. Sporadic lesions were cured by local excision. Patients with Hailey-Hailey disease were variably responsive to corticosteroids. Neither our series nor the literature indicate a significant correlation between sporadic or syndromic acantholytic dyskeratosis and squamous cell carcinoma. Important differential diagnoses include pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus vegetans, for which direct immunofluorescence may be performed, when indicated.