Porocarcinoma is a rare malignant adnexal tumor. Little is known about the location of the disease in the head and neck. Our aim is to offer the largest analysis of demographic, pathological, and treatment patterns of head and neck porocarcinoma in comparison with other locations of the neoplasm from an epidemiologically representative cohort.

Method: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute was searched for all cases of porocarcinomas diagnosed between 2000 and 2018. This database is considered representative of the US population. Demographic, pathological, and treatment variables were compared between the head and neck and other regions. Overall and disease-specific survival was calculated and compared between groups.

Results: 563 porocarcinomas were identified, with 172 in the head and neck. The mean age was 66.4 years. Males were more affected in the head and neck. Regional and distant invasion rates were low (2.9 and 2.3%, respectively). Local excision and Mohs surgery were the most frequent therapies. Five-year overall survival was 74.8%. Five-year disease-specific survival was 97%.

Conclusions: Head and neck porocarcinoma affects more males than females. Regional or distant metastatic rates are low and overestimated in previous literature. Disease-specific mortality is low. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment.