Primary mucinous carcinoma of the scalp

Abstract

Mucinous carcinoma of the skin is a rare, low-grade malignancy often clinically misdiagnosed as a benign lesion. This tumour mostly grows locally and has minimal potential for lymphatic or distant metastasis. Commonly affected sites include the periorbital region, particularly the eyelid, and the scalp. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment. However, recurrences are frequent when resection margins are less than 1 cm. Differential diagnosis with mucinous skin metastases can be challenging. We report a patient with an occipital scalp tumour initially considered benign and left untreated for 10 years. After an initial resection, the tumour recurred, requiring a second resection with adequate margins.