Case report describes a rare dartos-type cutaneous leiomyoma presenting as a nipple mass in an older male, highlighting smooth muscle neoplasms in differential diagnoses.
The nipple plays a critical role in the structure and functional capacity of the breast. Nipple leiomyomas are extremely rare among the various neoplastic conditions affecting this region. A 69-year-old male patient presented to the hospital with a round, polypoid mass measuring 2 cm in diameter in the right nipple. He had a history of trauma that has been sustained 30 years prior. He did not report any symptoms such as pain, bleeding, or nipple discharge. Axillary ultrasonography did not reveal lymphadenopathy. Histopathological examination revealed a well-defined, uncapsulated neoplastic proliferation. The lesion was characterized by bundles of spindle-shaped cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm and oval nuclei, as well as short fascicles. Therefore, a diagnosis of cutaneous leiomyoma was made. Cutaneous leiomyomas are classified into three subtypes. The most common type is pilar leiomyoma, which originates in the erector pili muscles. Angioleiomyoma, which originates from the blood vessel walls, is the second most common form. The rarest type is a dartos/ genital leiomyoma that develops in the scrotum, vulva, areola, or nipple. In this rare category, it is unusual for lesions to be confined specifically to the areola and nipple regions; only a limited number of cases have been reported in medical literature. Our case presents a rare presentation of a nipple lesions. Given the limited clinical literature on nipple tumors, this case is significant for raising clinical awareness and expanding the existing body of medical knowledge.
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Çelik et al. (2026) studied this question.
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