Galli-galli disease: a rare acantholytic variant of dowling-degos disease.

Galli-Galli disease is a rare acantholytic variant of Dowling-Degos disease, with few cases reported in the literature. We describe a case of Galli-Galli disease and review the literature.

[Basal cell carcinomas of the scalp. Review of 77 patients with 81 tumors]. / Carcinomas basocelulares no couro cabeludo. Revisão de 77 doentes com 81 tumores.

Out of 3,000 consecutive basal cell carcinoma 81 (2.7%) were located on the scalp of 77 patients (41 males, 36 females). The age at diagnosis was 50.8 +/- 14 years. Seventy five patients had a single lesion, one had 2 and another 4. Significant etiological factors were organoid nevi (11), syringocystadenoma papilliferum (1), androgenic alopecia (5), wound scar (1) and radiodermatitis (1). Out of 29 patients who answered a specific enquiry 10 admitted to having been treated by X-ray epilation for tinea capitis in childhood and 4 to have taken arsenic containing medicines. The evolution of the tumors varied from several months to more than 10 years. They were mostly nodular, pigmented and, less commonly, ulcerated with a pearly border, pendunculated or sclerosing in type. Histologically they were mainly solid or adenoid, with 2 sclerosing and 1 keratotic in type. In two cases there was underlying bone involvement. Treatment was by conventional surgery (54), Mohs' surgery (24) and cryotherapy (3). Four lesions recurred but the follow-up was below 5 years in most cases. We cannot confirm the impression of a more aggressive behaviour often suggested in the literature.

[Basocellular carcinoma in a smallpox vaccination scar]. / Carcinoma basocelular en cicatriz de vacinação anti-variólica.

A 52 year old housewife was vaccinated against smallpox at the age of 18, on her right deltoid area. At the age of 50 she noticed erythema and scaling on the vaccination scar and 2 years later a nodule appear that enlarged during the following 3 months. There was no history nor skin changes suggestive of significant sun exposure. The histological examination of an initial biopsy and of the subsequently excised lesion revealed a basal cell carcinoma of the solid type. The relevant literature was reviewed and discussed with emphasis on sex and age incidence, age and site of vaccination, free interval between inoculation and tumor appearance, coexistence or not of other sun induced neoplasias and precancerous lesions and other possibly relevant clinical and etiopathogenetic aspects.