National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Apocrine carcinoma


Apocrine carcinoma is a cancer of a sweat gland.  Apocrine carcionoma most often develops under the arm (the axilla), but it can develop on the scalp or other parts of the body.[1][2]  The cause of apocrine carcinoma is unknown.  Apocrine carcinoma usually appears as a single, small, painless bump (nodule) that can vary in color and slowly increases in size.[1][2]  The average age at the time of diagnosis is 62 years of age, and twice as many men are affected than women.[2]  Most apocrine carcinomas can be treated and are not fatal.[2][3]  Treatment of apocrine carcinoma is surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible.[1][2][3]  Additional treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy have been used to treat this condition, but the usefulness of these treatments is unproven.[3]
Last updated: 6/16/2014

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.

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  • Do you have any information or case studies about a diagnosis of invasive apocrine carcinoma of axillary skin? I can't find much information about this rare disease. See answer


  1. Miyamoto T, Hagari Y, Inoue S, Watanabe T, Yoshino T. Axillary apocrine carcinoma with benign apocrine tumours: a case report involving a pathological and immunohistochemical study and review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2005; 58(7):757-761. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15976347. Accessed 6/16/2014.
  2. Katagiri Y, Ansai S.. Two cases of cutaneous apocrine ductal carcinoma of the axilla. Case report and review of the literature. Dermatology. 1999; 199(4):332-337. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10640844. Accessed 6/16/2014.
  3. Vucinic I, Stojadinovic T, Mikez ZB, Danic D, Coha B.. Apocrine carcinoma of the scalp with aggressive clinical course--a case report and review of the literature. Collegium Antropologicum. 2012; 36:209-212. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23397789. Accessed 6/16/2014.