[Continued complete remission of Merkel cell carcinoma with in-transit metastasis after treatment with isolated limb perfusion regional chemotherapy]. / Rémission complète persistante d'une tumeur de Merkel avec métastases satellites après traitement par chimiothérapie locorégionale de type membre perfusé isolé.

BACKGROUND: Primitive cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma or Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare tumor. It may be large since diagnosis is frequently delayed. The usual treatment is extensive surgical removal and radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 69-year-old woman presented with a large Merkel cell carcinoma of the right leg. MRI showed a tumor invading the deep layers together with several satellite lesions. There was no regional nodal or visceral metastasis. Regional chemotherapy involving isolated limb perfusion with melphalan was performed in order to avoid amputation. Complete response was achieved a few months later and continues 5 and a half years later with minor sequelae comprising cutaneous sclerosis, pigmentation and mild ankle stiffness. DISCUSSION: Only five cases of Merkel cell carcinoma treated with isolated limb perfusion are reported in the literature: four of these involved local relapse and one was a primary tumor with regional lymph node involvement. Only one patient was still in complete remission 18 months after treatment. Isolated limb perfusion chemotherapy could thus be indicated in the treatment of advanced Merkel cell carcinoma of a limb in the absence of bone or regional lymph node involvement.

[Perianal abcess in infant]. / Abcès périanal du nourrisson.

INTRODUCTION: Perianal abcess and fistula-in-ano are particular when happening in infants of less than 1 year of age. A congenital abnormality of crypts of Morgagni may be at the origin of the disease. There is no evidence for predisposing condition at this age. CASE REPORT: A 7-week-old boy had a painful swollen perianal lesion suggesting the presence of perianal abcess. Biological tests did not show any neutropenia nor inflammatory syndrome. The infant was admitted to the surgical center to undergo a perianal abcess drainage. During the intervention, no fistula was found. No recurrence was observed. DISCUSSION: Perianal abcess and/or fistula-in-ano are relatively common conditions in infants of less than 1 year of age. This disease is suspected to originate from anal cryptitis, which will later form a perianal abcess. Androgen excess during the foetal stage could be the cause of the formation of abnormal crypts of Morgagni, which encourages cryptitis and abcess formation. In childhood some predisposing factors can exist, as immunodeficiency or colopathy. On the opposite, a predisposing condition is rare in infancy. Twenty-eight to 85 per cent of infants with perianal abcess may progress to form a fistula. The usual treatment of perianal abcess is incision and drainage; it may be completed by fistulotomy or fistulectomy. The antibiotherapy is not systematic. The identification of the corresponding crypt may be important to avoid recurrence. On the opposite, a recent prospective study proposes a non operative management of perianal abcess and fistula-in-ano in healthy infants.

Treatment of cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia with thalidomide: report of two cases.

Cutaneous benign lymphoid hyperplasia is a B-cell pseudolymphoma of unknown origin. The most favored sites of involvement include the face. We report two cases involving the nose that showed complete and stable regression after a 2-month treatment course with thalidomide.