A Case of Subcutaneous Pyogenic Granuloma, and a Review of the Literature / 대한피부과학회지

Pyogenic granuloma (lobular capillary hemangioma) is a very common benign vascular lesion that frequently appears as a red to purple colored papule or polypoid mass. Any cutaneous or mucous membrane surface may be affected, they are rarely found intravascular or subcutaneous area. A 67-year-old female presented with a single, 0.5x0.5 cm sized movable subcutanous nodule on the right arm. A biopsy specimen showed multilobulated angiomatous nodule consisted of proliferative capillaries with fibrous septum in the subcutaneous layer. The tumor cells were positive for CD31, CD34, vimentin and smooth muscle actin. The lesion was excised and pyogenic granuloma was given as diagnosis by histopathological evaluation. The Subcutaneous type of pyogenic granuloma is rare but it should be part of the differential diagnosis of solitary nodule of extremities.

Short-term, Low Dose Oral Cyclosporine Treatment in Patients with Psoriasis: An Association between Response to Cyclosporine Therapy and Systemic Inflammation Using High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant that acts on T-cells and cytokines. Although the efficacy of systemic cyclosporine in the treatment of psoriasis has been established, the relationship between response to cyclosporine and systemic inflammation using the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) immunoassay is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate whether systemic inflammation with clinical and laboratory findings indicate a response after 8 weeks of oral 3 mg/kg cyclosporine therapy in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with psoriasis were treated with oral cyclosporine for 8 weeks. The clinical response to oral cyclosporine was determined using the PASI score. The correlation between hs-CRP and the treatment response to cyclosporine was analyzed. Also, descriptive characteristics of psoriatic patients with psoriatic arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and high BMI (BMI> or =25) were investigated. RESULTS: Hs-CRP levels and PASI scores were significantly reduced after 8 weeks of oral cyclosporine treatment. Eight patients showed excellent response, fifteen a good response, and twelve a moderate response. The baseline hs-CRP levels in excellent and good response groups (1.35+/-0.59 mg/L and 1.32+/-0.86 mg/L, respectively) to oral cyclosporine were significantly higher than the moderate response group (0.51+/-0.20 mg/L, p=0.004). Psoriatic patients with psoriatic arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and high BMI demonstrated higher levels of baseline hs-CRP. Patients with psoriatic arthritis and metabolic syndrome showed greater response to cyclosporine treatment. CONCLUSION: Patients with greater inflammatory burden, as demonstrated by elevated baseline hs-CRP, have better treatment responses to cyclosporine compared to patients with lesser inflammation.

Coexistence of Amelanotic Melanoma and Liposarcoma

An amelanotic malignant melanoma is characterized by little or no pigment. It is frequently misdiagnosed because it is a rare entity in general, and because of its unusual clinical features. Liposarcoma is one of the most common adult soft tissue sarcomas. We encountered a case of amelanotic melanoma with a concurrent liposarcoma. A 68-year-old man presented with a single, 1.5x1.5 cm round erythematous, eroded nodule on the left heel. A biopsy specimen showed atypical, pleomorphic tumor cells with little melanin pigment. The tumor cells were positive for S-100, HMB-45 and negative for cytokeratins. These findings were consistent with amelanotic melanoma. On positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), a hypermetabolic lesion was found in the left buttock. This lesion was excised and diagnosed as a well-differentiated liposarcoma. An association between sarcomas and other primary malignancies has been reported. However, an association between melanoma and liposarcoma is rare.

A Case of Bullous Fixed Drug Eruption Coexisting with Hand-Foot Syndrome and This Was Induced by Sunitinib / 대한피부과학회지

Sunitinib is multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and this drug was approved for use to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumor and advanced renal cell carcinoma. It has also been shown to be efficacious in treating neuroendocrine, colon and breast cancer. Sunitinib therapy is often complicated by cutaneous adverse effects such as hand-foot syndrome, hair depigmentation, subungal splinter hemorrhage, xerosis, alopecia and seborrheic dermatitis- like reactions. But there have been no reports on patients presenting with a bullous fixed drug eruption associated with sunitinib administration. We report here on a case of a bullous fixed drug eruption and hand-foot syndrome, and these maladies were caused by this agent.

Coexistence of Scleredema and Acanthosis Nigricans in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus / 대한피부과학회지

Scleredema and acanthosis nigricans are two distinct dermatological disorders that have been reported in association with insulin resistance. Few reported cases have shown an association between scleredema and acanthosis nigricans. A 53-year-old obese woman with diabetes mellitus presented with a 4-year history of an indurated plaque on the nape and upper mid-back. She also presented with a 20-year history of hyperpigmented, velvety plaques on the neck and both axillae. We report a diabetic patient who developed scleredema and acanthosis nigricans.

A Case of Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans Presenting as an Anetoderma-like Lesion with Nodular Lesions / 대한피부과학회지

Atrophic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is an uncommon clinical variant, which clinically mimics other atrophic dermatological conditions. Given the typical 'protuberant' morphology of DFSP, such atrophic lesions may be difficult to diagnose clinically. We report a 44-year-old man who presented with an 8-month history of an asymptomatic, depressed, anetoderma-like plaque on the right subclavicular area. He also presented with a 1-year history of a 1.5x1.5 cm, asymptomatic, firm, erythematous nodule above an atrophic lesion. Biopsy specimens were taken from each lesion. These specimens, along with histochemical staining for CD34, established the diagnosis of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.