A Case of Spindle Cell Lipoma / 대한피부과학회지

Spindle cell lipoma is an unusual and benign neoplasm, which normally occurs in middle age to older individuals oh the posterior neck, shoulders, and upper part of the back in the form of a solitary, slowly growing, painless, and subcutaneous nodule. We report a case of spindle cell lipoma on the right forearm of a 49-year-old female. Histopathologic examination revealed that the subcutaneous tumor was composed of mature fat cells and uniform spindle cells within a mucinous matrix. In some areas, the spindle cell proliferation was dominant due to variation in the ratio of spindle cells to mature fat cells. Vascularity was prominent in many parts of the tumor, and there were numerous mast cells scattered throughout the tumor. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells were positive for vimentin and CD34, while S-100 protein and actin were not expressed.

The Immunohistochemical Study of MAPKs Expression in Psoriatic Epidermis

No abstract available.

Immunohistochemical Study for MAPK Expression in Epidermal Tumors Related to Sun Exposure / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) is an important molecule in transducing extracellular signal from cell surface to the nucleus. MAPK family includes ERK(extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase), JNK(stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase), p38 kinases. Not only various growth factors and cytokines, but also other signals such as UV light are able to activate MAPK, resulting in various cellular responses including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine patterns of MAPK expression in epidermal tumors including seborrheic keratosis(SK) on sun-exposed skin and unexposed area, actinic keratosis(AK), Bowen's disease(BD), acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma(ASCC), and other squamous cell carcinoma(SCC). METHODS: Using pan ERK, JNK-2 and p-JNK, we have examined MAPK expression immunohistochemically in epidermal tumors(total 30 cases) including SK on sun-exposed skin(5 cases) and unexposed areas(5 cases), AK(5 cases), BD(5 cases), ASCC(5 cases), and SCC(5 cases). RESULTS: ERK was expressed in AK and ASCC positively but not in BD, and the staining pattern with ERK also showed positivity in microinvasive area and dysplastic cells of SCC. JNK was not expressed in all tumor cells of SK, AK, BD, and ASCC with the exception of dyskeratotic cells in BD and acantholytic cells in ASCC. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that ERK expression may be related to sun exposure and responsible for proliferation of tumor and invasion into surrounding tissue. JNK may not be related with malignant progression of tumor and carcinogenesis cauesd by sun exposure, but with apoptosis of tumor cells.

A Case of Cutaneous Alternariosis / 대한의진균학회지

Alternaria species are common plant pathogens and saprophytic fungi. Cutaneous alternariosis is rare and an opportunistic infection in both healthy and immunosuppressed hosts. We report a case of cutaneous alternariosis developed in a 60-year-old female with iatrogenic Cushing syndrome. She had several various sized confluent suppurative ulcers on erythematous plaques on the both forearm clinically. Histology showed mixed-cell granulomatous infiltration with epithelioid cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils and a few plasma cells in the dermis. Many branching septate hyphae and spores were noted within the granulomatous tissue stained with PAS. A fungal culture from biopsy specimen revealed Alternaria species; pigmented hyphae and cornidia which had both transverse and longitudinal septae. The cutaneous lesions treated with terbinafine, 250 mg daily, for 3 months and 1 year later there is no evidence of recurrence.

A Case of Cutaneous Alternariosis / 대한의진균학회지

Alternaria species are common plant pathogens and saprophytic fungi. Cutaneous alternariosis is rare and an opportunistic infection in both healthy and immunosuppressed hosts. We report a case of cutaneous alternariosis developed in a 60-year-old female with iatrogenic Cushing syndrome. She had several various sized confluent suppurative ulcers on erythematous plaques on the both forearm clinically. Histology showed mixed-cell granulomatous infiltration with epithelioid cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils and a few plasma cells in the dermis. Many branching septate hyphae and spores were noted within the granulomatous tissue stained with PAS. A fungal culture from biopsy specimen revealed Alternaria species; pigmented hyphae and cornidia which had both transverse and longitudinal septae. The cutaneous lesions treated with terbinafine, 250 mg daily, for 3 months and 1 year later there is no evidence of recurrence.

Initiation of Herpes Zoster Treatment and Postherpetic Neuralgia

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster is a significant and troublesome disease. The pain of acute herpes zoster may be severe, but is usually transitory. Some patients, especially the elderly at particular risk, go on to develop neuralgia. Unfortunately, neuralgia is often severe and refractory to most forms of treatment. The purpose of this study was to estimate improved rates of neuralgia according to associated factors. METHODS: We observed the improved rates of neuralgia in 123 patients who had herpes zoster with severe pain and treated with antiviral therapy after admission. Also, we compared them by age group, dermatomal distribution, and initiating day of antiviral therapy. RESULTS: At 4 weeks of treatment, the improved rates of neuralgia according to age younger group was high and older group was low. The improved rates of neuralgia according to the starting day of treatment was high 100% in 1 day, 76.5% in 2, 65.0% in 3days, and 18.2% in 7 days after skin eruption. CONCLUSION: In herpes zoster with severe pain, age and initiation of antiviral therapy are significant predictors of neuralgia.

Two human cases of tick bite caused by Ixodes nipponensis

We report two human cases of tick bite. A 63-year-old male had a pruritic pea-sized brownish nodule on the left popliteal area. Another 41-year-old male had an asymptomatic bean-sized black nodule in the pubic area. The ticks were identified as Ixodes nipponensis, which are the 18th and the 19th cases in Korea.