Pilomatrix carcinoma: a rare cutaneous adnexal tumor

Pilomatrix carcinoma is a rare tumor that is generally not diagnosed clinically. An 80-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of rapidly growing nodule of the submandibular area. Histological examination revealed a pilomatrix carcinoma, an aggressive malignancy with metastatic potential

Diffuse dermal angiomatosis of the breast: an emerging entity in the setting of cutaneous reactive angiomatoses

New and emerging types of cutaneous vascular (capillary) proliferations have been described or better categorized in the last few years. They include reactive angioendotheliomatosis, acroangiodermatitis (pseudo-Kaposi sarcoma), diffuse dermal angiomatosis, intravascular histiocytosis, glomeruloid angioendotheliomatosis, and angiopericytomatosis (angiomatosis with cryoproteins). Clinically, they are characterized by multiple, red violaceous, and purpuric patches and plaques, sometimes evolving toward necrosis and ulceration with a wide distribution but a propensity to involve the extremities. Histologically, they are characterized by different patterns of intravascular or extravascular lobular or diffuse hyperplasia of endothelial cells, pericytes, and sometimes histiocytes. Although these angioproliferations can histologically have a pseudoangiosarcomatous pattern, they are reactive in that they originate from the (sub)occlusion of vascular lumina by different localized or systemic disorders. The vascular proliferation stops after the inducing hypoxic stimulus has been withdrawn. Among them, diffuse dermal angiomatosis of the breast is a variant of diffuse dermal angiomatosis involving middle-aged women with macromastia, obesity, smoking, and vasculopathic disorders, considered a distinct disorder in the spectrum of cutaneous reactive angiomatoses. It presents with reticulated erythematous to purple patches with sometimes a tendency to ulcerate and bleeding, appearing on large, pendulous breasts. The pathogenesis is related to tissue hypoxemia resulting from subclinical torsion, compression, and increased venous hydrostatic pressure due to the macromastia, aggravated by the associated ischemic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. There is no evidence-based therapy, but reduction mammoplasty is a viable treatment option. This should be evaluated in all patients who fail conservative therapy

The usefulness of c-Kit in the immunohistochemical assessment of melanocytic lesions

C-Kit (CD117), the receptor for the stem cell factor, a growth factor for melanocyte migra- tion and proliferation, has shown differential immunostaining in various benign and malig- nant melanocytic lesions. The purpose of this study is to compare c-Kit immunostaining in benign nevi and in primary and metastatic malignant melanomas, to determine whether c-Kit can aid in the differential diagnosis of these lesions. c-Kit immunostaining was per- formed in 60 cases of pigmented lesions, including 39 benign nevi (5 blue nevi, 5 intra- dermal nevi, 3 junctional nevi, 15 cases of pri- mary compound nevus, 11 cases of Spitz nevus), 18 cases of primary malignant melanoma and 3 cases of metastatic melanoma. The vast majority of nevi and melanomas examined in this study were posi- tive for c-Kit, with minimal differences between benign and malignant lesions. C-Kit cytoplasmatic immunoreactivity in the intraepidermal proliferating nevus cells, was detected in benign pigmented lesions as well as in malignant melanoma, increasing with the age of patients (P=0.007) in both groups. The patient’s age at presentation appeared to be the variable able to cluster benign and malignant pigmented lesions. The percentage of c-Kit positive intraepidermal nevus cells was better associated with age despite other vari- ables (P=0.014). The intensity and percentage of c-Kit positivity in the proliferating nevus cells in the dermis was significantly increased in malignant melanocytic lesions (P=0.015 and P=0.008) compared to benign lesions (compound melanocytic nevi, Spitz nevi, intradermal nevi, blue nevi). Immunostaning for c-Kit in metastatic melanomas was nega- tive. Interestingly in two cases of melanoma occurring on a pre-existent nevus, the melanoma tumor cells showed strong cytoplas- matic and membranous positivity for c-kit, in contrast with the absence of any immunoreac- tivity in pre-existent intradermal nevus cells. C-Kit does not appear to be a strong immuno- histochemical marker for distinguishing melanoma from melanocytic nevi, if we consid- er c-Kit expression in intraepidermal prolifer- ating cells. The c-Kit expression in proliferat- ing melanocytes in the dermis could help in the differential diagnosis between a superfi- cial spreading melanoma (with dermis inva- sion) and a compound nevus or an intradermal nevus. Finally, c-Kit could be a good diagnostic tool for distinguishing benign compound nevi from malignant melanocytic lesions with der- mis invasion and to differentiate metastatic melanoma from primary melanoma

Linear white lesion in the oral mucosa

Two unrelated patients aged 60 and 61 presented with an asymptomatic, white, slightly raised line on the buccal mucosa extending bilaterally from the commissure to the last molar teeth along their occlusal line, involving also the inner lower lip mucosa (Fig 1, A and B). The lesions could not wipe off on scratching. Medical history was unremarkable. Histopathology showed hyperparakeratosis without granular layers and regular acanthosis vacuolated cells in the upper spinous cell layer with some dyskeratotic cells in the absence of dysplasia (Fig 2). Neither inflammatory infiltrate nor bacterial colonies attached to the surface or fungal elements were seen (Fig 3)

COVID-19–related skin manifestations: Update on therapy

An increasing body of evidence has been produced in a very limited period to improve the understanding of skin involvement in the current coronavirus 2019 disease pandemic, and how this novel disease affects the management of dermatologic patients. A little explored area is represented by the therapeutic approach adopted for the different skin manifestations associated with the infection. An overview of the current scenario is provided, through review of the English-language literature published until October 30, 2020, and comparison with the personal experience of the authors. As dermatologists, our primary aim is to support patients with the highest standard of care and relieve suffering, even with lesions not life-threatening. With asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, patient discomfort related to skin lesions should not be undervalued and intervention to accelerate healing should be provided. Consensus protocols are warranted to assess the best skin-targeted treatments in COVID-19 patients

Fatal hyalohyphomycosis with cutaneous involvement caused by purpureocillium lilacinum in an immunocompromised patient with bullous pemphigoid

Emergent pathogen as Purpureocillium lilacinum are becoming cause of morbidity and mortality in our population, especially in immunocompromised patients. We describe a case of hyalohyphomycosis in a diabetic man under systemic steroid treatment for a bullous pemphigoid. Treatment with different antimycotic drugs were ineffective and infection spread diffusely, leading to deterioration of general conditions and ultimately death. The aim of this article is to increase awareness of clinicians about this uncommon, but frequently fatal refractory mycotic infection

Why Was the Perception of Human Rights Respect and Care Satisfaction So High in Users of Italian Mental Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The aim of this study was to compare users’ and mental health workers’ (MHW) perception of respect of human rights and job/care satisfaction in mental health services in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of users and MHW of Sardinia, Italy, fulfilled the “WellBeing at work and respect for human rights questionnaire” (WWRR). The study included 240 MHW and 200 users. Users showed a higher level of satisfaction of care than MHW of work, and a higher perception of the satisfaction of users and human rights respected for health workers. Both user and MHW responses were about 85% of the maximum score, except for satisfaction with resources. Responses were higher for users, but users and MHW both showed high levels of satisfaction. In previous surveys, MHW of Sardinia showed higher scores in all items of WWRR, except for satisfaction with resources, compared with workers from other health sectors of the same region, and with MHW from other countries. The low score for satisfaction with resources (in users and staff) is consistent with a progressive impoverishment of resources for mental health care in Italy. The study, although confirming the validity of the Italian model, fully oriented towards community, sets off an alarm bell on the risks resulting from the decrease in resources