Recurrent Primary Paget Disease of Vulva with Paget-Like Epithelial Cells in Papillary Dermis: Displaced or Invasion?

Int J Surg Pathol. 2024 May;32(3):507-510. doi: 10.1177/10668969231188902. Epub 2023 Jul 17.

Abstract

While histological diagnosis of Paget disease of vulva is mostly straightforward, identifying and confirming invasion can be challenging. Often invasion is accompanied by epidermal hyperplasia, marked inflammatory response and desmoplastic reaction. Diagnosis of invasion in Paget disease portends a poor outcome. We report findings from a recurrent primary vulvar Paget disease where overall histomorphology of possible invasive disease is unusual and raises a possibility of displacement of Paget cells in the dermis. We compare histology of the index case with known invasive vulvar Paget disease cases retrieved from our pathology archives. Unique histomorphology in the index case suggests a possibility of previous excision related dermal displacement of Paget cells.

Keywords: Paget; artifact; cancer; vulva.

MeSH terms

  • Dermis / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Paget Disease, Extramammary* / pathology
  • Vulva / pathology
  • Vulvar Neoplasms* / pathology