Metastatic tumors within the small blood vessels of the dermis may involve lymphatics, capillaries or both. The vessel type(s) involved has implications for the clinical appearance and tumor spread.
Vessel Involved
Term
Clinical Correlate
lymphatics
carcinoma erysipelatoides, carcinoma erysipeloides
inflammatory carcinoma, erysipelas-like
capillaries
carcinoma telangiectoides
erythematous patch with telangiectasia or lymphangioma circumscriptum-like lesions
both
carcinoma hemorrhagiectoides
violaceous indurated plaques
The distinction is aided by the use of immunoperoxidase stains:
(1) CD31 for lymphatics
(2) D2-40 (podopalin clone) for small blood vessels
CD31
D2-40
Involved Vessel(s)
positive
negative
other (perhaps tissue processing artifact)
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Specialty: Hematology Oncology, Surgery, general
ICD-10: ,
