ABSTRACT
Background: Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, transmitted mainly by direct contact with the lesion. Primary syphilis usually presents with a chancre at the site of infection, which is highly contagious and resolves without treatment. The aim of this article is to illustrate an unusual location of a syphilitic chancre, in order to consider this diagnosis within the approach to patients with oral ulcers. Clinical case: a 30-year-old man who presented a dermatosis located in the left labial commissure, characterized by a painless ulcer of 1 cm in diameter of 20 days of evolution. The patient has a history of HIV/AIDS. A punch biopsy of the dermatosis was performed, with a histopathological report compatible with syphilitic chancre and a negative VDRL result. He was treated with penicillin G benzathine showing improvement. Conclusions: Primary syphilis is characterized by the development of the syphilitic chancre, which is the first manifestation of syphilis in up to 60% of cases. Extragenital presentation is rare, with only 12-14% of all cases, and of these between 40-70% occur in the mouth, being the lips the most frequent location. Oral manifestations can represent a diagnostic challenge due to its wide spectrum of clinical presentations.
Introducción: la sífilis es una enfermedad infecciosa causada por la espiroqueta Treponema pallidum, transmitida principalmente por contacto directo con la lesión. La sífilis primaria generalmente se presenta con un chancro en el sitio de la infección, el cual es altamente contagioso y se resuelve sin tratamiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es ilustrar una localización poco común de un chancro sifilítico, ya que conocer la existencia de presentaciones poco frecuentes permitirá favorecer su sospecha al abordar las causas de úlceras orales. Caso o casos clínicos: hombre de 30 años de edad, el cual presenta una dermatosis localizada en la comisura labial izquierda, caracterizada por una úlcera no dolorosa de 1 cm de diámetro de 20 días de evolución. El paciente tiene antecedente de VIH/SIDA. Se realizó biopsia en sacabocados de la dermatosis, siendo el informe histopatológico compatible con chancro sifilítico y resultado de VDRL negativo. Fue tratado con penicilina G benzatínica, con lo que presentó mejoría. Conclusiones: la sífilis primaria se caracteriza por la aparición del chancro sifilítico, el cual es la primera manifestación de la sífilis hasta en el 60% de los casos. La presentación extragenital es rara, con solo un 12-14% de todos los casos y, de estos, entre un 40-70 % se presentan en la boca, siendo los labios la localización más frecuente. Las manifestaciones orales pueden representar un desafío diagnóstico debido a su amplio espectro de presentaciones clínicas.
Subject(s)
Chancre , Skin Diseases , Syphilis , Male , Humans , Adult , Syphilis/diagnosis , Syphilis/drug therapy , Chancre/diagnosis , Chancre/drug therapy , Penicillin G Benzathine/therapeutic use , MouthABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Adermatoglyphia is defined as the medical condition clinically diagnosed to those who have a congenital or acquired loss of the epidermal ridges on the fingertips, commonly known as fingerprints. Capecitabine, a fluoropyrimidine, is the treatment of choice in a myriad of tumors and has occasionally been reported to cause adermatoglyphia as a secondary effect upon its use. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old female patient, diagnosed with stage IV metastatic left breast cancer with extension to bone in late 2011 reported upon biopsy a hormone receptor positive Her2 negative ductal carcinoma. After initial treatment with a combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy palliative treatment, hepatic and lung metastasis progression obliged capecitabine oral intake. In 2018, after two years on the fluoropyrimidine (capecitabine), the patient reported adermatoglyphia. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: The patient opted to continue taking the medication, since such treatment was working with no other meaningful side effects. Her last work-up studies continue to show complete lung and liver response with stable bone disease. DISCUSSION: Capecitabine is a common drug in the therapy against metastatic breast cancer due to its manageable safety profile. Hand-foot syndrome is a frequent side effect caused by this drug, with dosage adjustment recommended with progression of symptoms. Recent publications have reported adermatoglyphia as a rare side effect of capecitabine use. Upon further examination through dermatoscopy and biopsy, the patient was evidenced to have lost the epidermal ridges that form fingerprints. A score of 9 on the Naranjo scale confirmed to be a consequence of the administration of capecitabine.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms , Hand-Foot Syndrome , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Capecitabine/adverse effects , Female , Fluorouracil/adverse effects , Hand-Foot Syndrome/etiology , Humans , Middle Aged , Receptor, ErbB-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Non-melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Basal cell carcinoma is the most common and least aggressive but in a low percentage of cases, despite appropriate wide surgical margins, it can be aggressive, producing local invasion, recurrences and distance metastasis. SCC has a more aggressive behaviour invading first the skin, the lymph nodes and less frequently produces distance metastasis OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics of recurrent SCC and frequency of new SCC after conventional surgical and primary closure or closure delayed until a histological reporting of tumour-free surgical margins, in order to achieve a better surgical option, in our Mexican population. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We reviewed clinical records from the last 10 years, and included those with a diagnosis of SCC. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen tumours in 103 patients were included. The mean new tumour diagnosis was 32.2 per year; there were 46.6% men and 53.4% women. Age range 19-91, with mean 71.94 years (SD=13.34). The evolution time was from 1-112 months (mean=12 months, SD=2.65). The most affected site was the cheek. In addition, an invasive tumour was reported in 54% in the histopathological study. At 10-year follow-up we found a second SCC in 14 patients and only 4 recurrences, between the 1st and 4th year and 3were treated with delayed closure until margins were tumour-free. CONCLUSION: In this study we demonstrated that delayed closure technique is easy and adaptable in our population in the treatment of SCC, achieving good results with very low recurrences at 10- year follow -up.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery , Margins of Excision , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/epidemiology , Skin Neoplasms/surgery , Wound Closure Techniques , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Facial Neoplasms/pathology , Facial Neoplasms/surgery , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Invasiveness , Organ Specificity , Risk Factors , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Time Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection caused by saprophytic zygomycetes. These fungal infections are caused by members of the mucorales. The clinical importance of zygomycosis, an emerging and frequently fatal mycotic disease, has increased during recent years, due to several risk factors such as (a) the use of broad-spectrum antibiotic, (b) use of empirical antifungal treatment (mainly triazoles), and (c) aggressive chemotherapy and sustained leucopenia (i.e., peripheral stem cell transplantation). An almost fulminant pneumonia caused by Syncephalastrum racemosum in an immunocompromised patient with an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is described. Despite treatment with amphotericin B, deoxycholate, caspofungin, and surgical resection of fungal bodies from both lungs, and survival of 10 months without relapsing from fungal infection, the patient died due to hematological complications from an unresponsive disease. Herein is the description of the first case of pulmonary infection caused by Syncephalastrum racemosum.
Subject(s)
Lung Diseases, Fungal/diagnosis , Lung Diseases, Fungal/pathology , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/complications , Mucorales/isolation & purification , Mucormycosis/diagnosis , Mucormycosis/pathology , Adult , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Debridement , Female , Histocytochemistry , Humans , Immunocompromised Host , Lung Diseases, Fungal/microbiology , Lung Diseases, Fungal/therapy , Microscopy , Mucormycosis/microbiology , Mucormycosis/therapyABSTRACT
Actinic prurigo is an idiopathic photodermatosis that affects the skin, as well as the labial and conjunctival mucosa in indigenous and mestizo populations of Latin America. It starts predominantly in childhood, has a chronic course, and is exacerbated with solar exposure. Little is known of its pathophysiology, including the known mechanisms of the participation of HLA-DR4 and an abnormal immunologic response with increase of T CD4+ lymphocytes. The presence of IgE, eosinophils, and mast cells suggests that it is a hypersensitivity reaction (likely type IVa or b). The diagnosis is clinical, and the presence of lymphoid follicles in the mucosal histopathologic study of mucosa is pathognomonic. The best available treatment to date is thalidomide, despite its secondary effects.
