Adenolipoma
Type of lipoma that develops in sweat glands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An adenolipoma is a type of lipoma (benign fat tumor) that develops in the eccrine sweat glands. They can occur either in the skin,[1] or in the thyroid. [2]
| Adenolipoma | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Lipoadenoma, peri-sudoral lipoma |
| |
| Microscopic image of a thyroid adenolipoma | |
| Symptoms | Small lump, difficulty breathing |
| Types | Thyroid adenolipoma, skin adenolipoma |
| Diagnostic method | Surgical resection |
| Treatment | Surgical excision |
| Prognosis | Very good - surgery is curative |
Signs and symptoms
Adenolipomas are usually asymptomatic, soft nodules that aren't tender, and are slow-growing.[3] In the case of thyroid adenolipomas, breathing restrictions may be present.[4]
Causes
The cause of adenolipomas is unknown. Theories include improper development in the embryo and invasion from connective tissue.[5]
Diagnosis
Adenolipomas are diagnosed by surgical resection and examining the tumor with a microscope.[5] The presence of eccrine sweat glands are used to distinguish the tumor from a common lipoma. Size and the development of the capsule (tissue surrounding the tumor) can also aid in diagnosis. [6]
Treatment
History
Adenolipomas are a relatively recent diagnosis, being first described by Hitchcock et al. in 1993 in a case series. Ait-Ourhrouil and Grosshans later made another case series, disagreeing with the given name and proposing the term peri-sudoral lipoma.[1]