ORIGINAL ARTICLE Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences/Volume 1/Issue 6/December-2012 Page-907 AN ANALYSIS OF SKIN APPENDAGEAL TUMORS IN SOUTH INDIA. S. Sri Gayathri, Ezhilvizhi Alavandar, S. Ashok Kumar 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology. SRM Medical College & Research Centre. 2. Professor, Department of Pathology. Govt Kilpauk Medical College. 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology. Chengelpet Medical College. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Dr. S. Sri Gayathri, 602 B Block, SRM Medical Staff Quarters, SRM Medical College, Potheri Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu - 603203. E-mail: ssriga@yahoo.com Ph: 0091 9841129271 ABSTRACT: BACK GROUND: Cutaneous appendageal tumours are a large diverse group of tumours that are commonly classified according to their state of appendageal differentiation- eccrine, apocrine, follicular and sebaceous. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study that reviewed the clinical records of patients from the Department of pathology, Govt Kilpauk medical college who were diagnosed with skin tumours by histopathology for a period of three years. Afterwards, these cases were, reviewed diagnoses were recorded and classified and analysed according to the patient's age, gender, and localization, occupation, exposure to sunlight and clinical presentation. RESULTS: This descriptive study was an analysis of 29 adnexal tumors with regard to age, clinical presentation, occupation and its correlation with histologic diagnosis. Benign tumors were common and composed of 74% and malignant tumors were 26%. . Mean age of presentation of adnexal tumors in this study was 35.2 years with female predominance. 15 of these tumours were derived from eccrine and apocrine glands, 11 of them showed follicular differentiation, and 3 of them showed sebaceous differentiation. They showed a maximum occurrence in face as nodular and papular lesions. Commonest lesion was Trichoepithelioma. CONCLUSION: Adnexal skin tumors have distinct histological patterns which differentiates them from other cutaneous tumors. Clinical diagnosis of adnexal tumors is extremely difficult because various adnexal tumors have similar clinical presentation and histopathological examination becomes essential in diagnosis KEY WORDS: Appendageal, apocrine glands, eccrine, follicular differentiation. INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous appendageal tumours are a large diverse group of tumours that are commonly classified according to their state of appendageal differentiation- eccrine, apocrine, follicular and sebaceous 1,2,3 . These tumours generally behave in a benign manner, but malignant types exist. 4 Their detailed morphological classification is difficult because of the variety of tissue elements and patterns seen. In our present study we have done a histopathologic analysis and clinicopathologic correlation of cutaneous adnexal tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have reviewed the clinical records of patients from the Department of pathology, Govt Kilpauk medical college who were diagnosed with skin tumours by histopathology for a period of three years. This is a cross sectional descriptive study of appendageal tumors in department of Pathology. All biopsies were taken from grossly characteristic areas. Multiple biopsies were advised when lesions present in differing forms and