Cancers
Microcystic Adnexal Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Diagnostic Work-Up and Contemporary Treatment Strategies—A Narrative Review
By Lawik Revend and Florian Dudde.
Abstract
Background
Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) is a rare cutaneous adnexal malignancy characterized by slow clinical growth but pronounced local aggressiveness, extensive subclinical infiltration, and a propensity for perineural invasion. Owing to its rarity and often inconspicuous clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment remain challenging, particularly in the anatomically complex head and neck region.
Methods
A narrative review of the literature was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase, covering publications available up to August 2026. Relevant studies addressing the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, histopathology, imaging, surgical and non-surgical treatment, recurrence, and follow-up of MAC were reviewed, with particular emphasis on MAC arising in the head and neck region.