Subject(s)
Ear Diseases/pathology , Ear, External , Epidermal Cyst/pathology , Biopsy , Epithelium/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Career Choice , Dermatology , Internship and Residency , Academic Medical Centers , Dermatology/education , Faculty, Medical , Female , Humans , Job Satisfaction , Male , Michigan , Surveys and Questionnaires , WorkforceABSTRACT
A patient with widely metastatic papillary thyroid cancer who had been previously treated with (131)I and external beam radiation presented with purple nodular lesions on his face and scalp. On biopsy, the nodules were papillary carcinoma with cells that stained for thyroglobulin. Subsequently he developed decreased left eye visual acuity, and fundoscopy revealed lesions typical of choroidal metastases. Dermal and choroidal metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma are both rare. However, the significance of these clinical manifestations may be overlooked and ignored unless the diagnosis is considered. New skin nodules or visual acuity decline in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer may represent manifestations of distant metastatic disease and should prompt thorough evaluation with dermatological examination and fundoscopy. Choroidal and skin metastases have almost always occurred in patients with advanced disease, but initial presentation with these lesions is possible, and in such instances a thorough search for additional sites of metastatic disease is recommended. Occasionally such metastases may respond to (131)I therapy or external beam radiation.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Papillary/pathology , Choroid Neoplasms/secondary , Skin Neoplasms/secondary , Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Papillary/radiotherapy , Humans , Iodine Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Male , Middle Aged , Thyroid Neoplasms/radiotherapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) therapy has been used successfully for the treatment of inflammatory and pigmentary skin disorders including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, mycosis fungoides, polymorphous light eruption, and vitiligo. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the treatment outcomes of 117 consecutive patients with vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses, excluding those with psoriasis and CTCL, who were treated with NB-UVB between 1998 and 2001 at our institution. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of all patients showed improvement in their condition. NB-UVB phototherapy was well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects. In patients with vitiligo, 6.4% had an abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone level and 6.5% had anemia. CONCLUSION: NB-UVB may be considered as a viable therapeutic option in the treatment of vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses. Long-term adverse effects and cost-benefit analysis of NB-UVB therapy compared to other treatment modalities remain to be determined.
