Application of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Cutaneous Basosquamous Carcinoma

Basosquamous carcinoma of the skin is a relatively rare cutaneous neoplasm that has significant metastatic potential and a metastatic rate greater than that of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. We describe the use of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in a 63-year-old man after identification of basosquamous carcinoma. Sentinel lymph node biopsy, which is a standard tool to detect regional lymphatic metastasis in cutaneous melanoma, has been rarely employed to detect lymphatic metastasis of basosquamous carcinoma. The approach was successful in detecting a regional lymphatic metastasis of two nodal basins with minor morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may be useful for certain high-risk lesions of basosquamous carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma of the nail unit treated with Mohs micrographic surgery: superficial multicentric BCC with jagged borders--a histopathological hallmark for nail unit BCC

We present a case of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the nail unit with a special emphasis on superficial multicentric histopathologic type with jagged borders that was treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. Nail unit BCCs may not be as rare as previously believed and jagged borders in the superficial neoplastic buds may be a hallmark for superficial BCCs of the nail unit

Dermatitis Herpetiformis and Vitiligo

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare immunobullous disorder of the skin that is associated with gluten hypersensitivity. Subepidermal IgA-type antibody deposition against tissue transglutaminase leads to dense neutrophilic microabscess and eventually into vesicles in dermal papillae, which may occasionally merge into bullae. Being a subepidermal vesiculobullous disorder, DH is frequently associated with postinflammatory pigmentary changes, particularly hypopigmentation. However, the association of DH with true vitiligo is extremely rare. Here, we report a 21-year-old male with vitiligo and comorbid DH, and review the literature. This new case had severely pruritic, papular and papulovesicular lesions that were localized symmetrically and partly confined to the pre-existing vitiliginous areas. The skin biopsy specimen taken from an erythematous papule on the elbow showed characteristic findings of DH and vitiligo. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy of the perilesional skin revealed granular IgA deposition of dermal papillae. There are only 10 reports in the literature of DH and vitiligo comorbidity