Introduction

Purpose: Malherbe’s calcifying epithelioma is a rare hair matrix tumor. The objective is to present clinical cases and to analyze the variability of its image.

Material and methods

Among nearly 3500 patients with ocular tumors operated during the last 10 years in the Department of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology in Krakow we identified a group of 7 patients with histologically confirmed pilomatrixoma. A retrospective evaluation of their medical history was performed, paying particular attention to the co-existence of other diseases, form of growth and location of tumors, as well as treatment methods and their effectiveness. The results were compared with other clinical studies.

Results

Malherbe’s calcifying epithelioma is characterized by clinical polymorphism and similarity to other much more frequent eyelid tumors. It usually has the form of a single, small, movable, slowly growing nodule covered by intact skin. In addition to the classic form described there are pediculated tumors, huge, fast-growing, perforating, as well as tumors in unusual locations and multiple lesions.

Conclusions

The consequences of variation pilomatrixoma are clinical diagnostic errors. The one, sure and reliable criterion is a histopathology evaluation.