Abstract Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare mesenchymal tumor; it is locally aggressive and presents high rates of local recurrence. It may present as a nodular or plaque vegetating lesion. It mainly affects the trunk and proximal limbs, being rare in the distal extremities. Biopsy and immunohistochemistry help confirm the diagnosis. The authors report a case of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with plantar region involvement, a rare presentation. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, only 11 cases of involvement of the feet were described in the international literature.

Abstract Cutaneous metastases are rare. They usually present as nodules or tumors. Diagnosis is based on histopathological examination and prognosis is unfavorable. This report describes the case of a female patient, 72 years old, with surgically treated gastric antrum adenocarcinoma. Pathology showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cells. It evolved with bone involvement, lymph node enlargement in the inguinal region, and skin infiltration in the lower limbs, abdomen, and root of the upper limbs. Skin biopsy demonstrated signet ring carcinoma embolizing the dermal and hypodermic vessels and invasion of adipose tissue, confirming carcinomatous lymphangitis. Carcinomatous lymphangitis is the cutaneous and subcutaneous lymphatic invasion by tumor cells. Cutaneous metastasis is relatively uncommon and presents mainly as cutaneous or subcutaneous nodules, and more rarely as inflammatory lesions. The present case reports carcinomatous lymphangitis associated with gastric cancer.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic and prevalent disease, and the associated pruritus is a common, difficult-to-control symptom. The mediators involved in psoriatic pruritus have not been fully established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between the number of mast cells in psoriatic lesions and the intensity of pruritus. METHODS: 29 patients with plaque psoriasis were recruited. In all participants, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Body Surface Area were assessed. A questionnaire was administered to obtain clinical information and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. Pruritus was assessed using a visual analog scale and skin biopsies were performed for staining with Giemsa and Immunohistochemistry with C-Kit. RESULTS: Pruritus was observed in 91.3% of our patients. Median VAS was 6 (p25-75: 2-8). The immunohistochemical method revealed a mean of 11.32 mast cells/field and Giemsa staining revealed a mean of 6.72 mast cells/field. There was no correlation between the intensity of pruritus and mast cell count, neither in Immunohistochemistry (p = 0.15; rho = -0.27) nor in Giemsa (p = 0.16; rho = -0.27). Pruritus did not impact on the Dermatology Life Quality Index (p = 0.51; rho = -0.13). STUDY LIMITATIONS: The small sample size may be considered the main limitation of our study. CONCLUSIONS: Although mast cells are mediators of pruritus in many cutaneous diseases, our findings support that psoriatic pruritus is a complex disorder with multifactorial, complex pathophysiology, involving pruritogenic mediators others than mast cells.

Escalpe lipedematoso é uma rara doença de origem desconhecida, caracterizada pelo aumento amolecido do couro cabeludo. Apresentamos um caso em paciente feminina de 13 anos de idade, com espessamento amolecido do vértex, prurido e crescimento lento dos fios na região afetada. O anatomopatológico revelou edema, infiltrado mononuclear esparso e perifolicular discretos, vasos linfáticos ectásicos e aumento do tecido subcutâneo, o qual foi ratificado pela ultrassonografia. Este é o segundo relato antes dos 18 anos de idade.

Lipedematous scalp is a rare disease of unknown cause characterized by increased scalp thickness with a soft consistence. We report the case of a 13-year-old female with pruriginous soft thickening of the scalp vertex and slow growth of hair in the affected area. Anatomopathological examination showed edema, sparse mononuclear inflammatory perifollicular infiltrate, and ectatic lymphatic vessels. Ultrasonography confirmed thickening of the subcutaneous tissue. This is the second report of the disorder in a patient younger than 18 years old.

FUNDAMENTOS: A rosácea é dermatose que apresenta uma série de variáveis associadas a seu surgimento. A maioria dos estudos é proveniente dos Estados Unidos da América e de países europeus, sendo escasso o conhecimento produzido e publicado acerca da doença no Hemisfério Sul, particularmente no Brasil. OBJETIVOS: Descrever os principais fatores clínicos e histopatológicos associados à rosácea em amostras populacionais do sul do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Dois estudos casos-controles realizados em seqüência, com análise univariada e bivariada, utilizando-se p < 0,05 para significância estatística (teste do qui-quadrado e Mantel-Haenzel, quando realizadas estratificações). RESULTADOS: A rosácea é mais freqüente em mulheres e na faixa de 40-50 anos. Os pacientes com fototipos II e III configuram a quase-totalidade dos casos, as formas inflamatórias da rosácea são mais diagnosticadas do que a vascular, e há associação com a sorologia positiva para Helicobacter pylori e com a presença histopatológica do Demodex folliculorum (p < 0,05). As alterações emocionais e climáticas, a exposição solar e o uso de bebidas alcoólicas foram os principais fatores descritos como provocativos ou agravantes. CONCLUSÕES: Apresenta-se um panorama da rosácea obtido em amostra de população sulista do Brasil, com alguns dados semelhantes aos já descritos internacionalmente e outros particularizados, como a questão econômica e os fatores descritos como provocativos ou agravantes.

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a dermatosis that has many factors associated with its onset. Most studies on this condition come from the United States and European countries, with little information produced and published about the disease in the Southern hemisphere, particularly in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To describe the main clinical and histopathological factors associated with rosacea in population samples from southern Brazil. METHODS: Two case-control studies performed sequentially, with univariate and bivariate analysis, using p<0.05 for statistical significance (Chi-square test and Mantel-Haenzel, for stratifications) RESULTS: Rosacea is most frequent among women and in the age range of 40-50 years. Almost all cases have phototypes II and III. The inflammatory forms of rosacea are more often diagnosed than the vascular form and there is an association with serological positivity to Helicobacter pylori and with histopathological presence of Demodex folliculorum (p<0.05). Emotional and climatic changes, exposure to the sun and intake of alcoholic beverages were the main factors described as provoking or worsening the disease. CONCLUSIONS: We have obtained an overview of rosacea in a sample of the southern population of Brazil. While some data are similar to those already described internationally, other aspects, such as economic issues and the factors described as provoking or worsening the disease, are provided in greater detail.

A infecção pelo Scedosporium apiospermum pode tornar-se grave quando afeta pacientes imunodeprimidos, contexto em que diagnóstico e tratamento são geralmente difíceis. Os autores apresentam caso de paciente diabética usuária de ciclosporina, metotrexato e corticoesteróide sistêmico para o tramento de artrite reumatóide e que apresentou úlceras cutâneas pelo S. apiospermum. Após uso de itraconazol, sem sucesso, ocorreu resolução do quadro com o uso de voriconazol, nova alternativa para determinadas infecções fúngicas.

Infection by Scedosporium apiospermum may be severe when it affects immunosuppressed patients, circumstances under which diagnosis and treatment are difficult. The authors present the case of a diabetic patient using cyclosporine, methotrexate and systemic steroids to treat rheumatoid arthritis, who presented ulcers caused by S. apiospermum. After unsuccessful treatment with itraconazole, there was good response to voriconazole therapy. This drug represents a new alternative for the treatment of fungal infections.

Relata-se caso raro de nevo epidérmico na aréola mamária direita de menina de 13 anos. Segundo a classificação proposta por Levy-Franckel, essa variante é a hiperceratose do mamilo e aréola do tipo I, quando associada a nevo verrucoso. A histologia mostrou papilomatose, acantose e hiperceratose. Foram realizadas duas sessões de crioterapia sem melhora. Foi obtido bom resultado por meio de shaving e eletrocauterização.

A rare case of a 13-year-old female patient with epidermal verrucous nevus on the right areola is reported. According to the Levy-Franckel classification, this variant is a type I nipple and areola hyperkeratosis, when associated to verrucous nevus. Histopathological examination showed papillomatosis, acanthosis and hyperkeratosis. Cryotherapy yielded unsatisfactory results after two sessions. A good result was obtained with shaving and electrocauterization.

OBJETIVO: Descrever complicação rara em área doadora de retalho conjuntival. MÉTODOS: Os autores descrevem os aspectos clínico, cirúrgico, pós-operatório e histológico de granuloma da cápsula de Tenon em área doadora de conjuntiva que seguiu cirurgia não complicada de excisão de pterígio com transplante conjuntival. RESULTADOS: O exame histológico evidenciou estrutura tipo hemangiomatosa com áreas de granuloma de corpo estranho envolvendo células epiteliais necróticas. CONCLUSÃO: Granuloma piogênico é nomenclatura inadequada para descrever reação inflamatória não supurativa de fácil excisão cirúrgica que pode seguir a retirada de conjuntiva em pacientes suscetíveis.

PURPOSE: To describe a rare complication at the donor site of conjunctival transplantation. METHODS: The authors report the clinical, surgical, postoperative and histologic aspects of a Tenon's granuloma that followed an uneventful pterygium excision with conjunctival transplantation. RESULTS: Histology identified an hemangiomatous-like structure with some areas of foreign body granuloma overlying necrotic epithelial cels, easily excised surgically. CONCLUSIONS: Pyogenic granuloma is an inadequate term to describe an inflammatory nonsuppurative reaction that may follow uneventful conjunctival surgery in susceptible individuals.

Objetivo: mastocitose é o termo usado para um grupo de moléstias caracterizadas pelo acúmulo de mastócitos na pele, com ou sem comprometimento de outros órgãos. Os sintomas podem ser apenas cutâneos, associados aos decorrentes dos órgãos envolvidos ou também sistêmicos, pela liberação de mediadores químicos. São descritos três casos de mastocitose sistêmica, cada um com diferentes manifestações próprias da doença.Descrição: no primeiro caso é relatado um paciente com urticária pigmentosa que evoluiu com persistência das lesões até a puberdade, quando iniciaram as manifestações sistêmicas com o comprometimento linforreticular, esplenomegalia e infiltração da medula óssea. No segundo caso, a paciente apresentava mastocitose bolhosa acompanhada de sintomas gastrintestinais, cuja investigação mostrou infiltração de mastócitos na parede intestinal. A terceira paciente ilustra a manifestação cutânea precoce e extensa da mastocitose, com uma evolução dramática para choque e posterior óbito. Comentários: são discutidos aspectos clínicos, laboratoriais, tratamento e diagnóstico.

Objective: mastocytosis comprises a group of diseases characterized by accumulation of mast cells on the skin, with the possibility of affecting other systems. Symptoms can be exclusively cutaneous, associated with symptoms of the organs involved or even systemic, due to the release of chemical mediators. Three cases of systemic mastocytosis are described, each case presenting different manifestations of the disorder. Description: the first report is about a patient with urticaria pigmentosa that presented persistent lesions until puberty when systemic manifestations initiated with lymphoreticular involvement, splenomegaly and bone marrow infiltration. In the second case, the child had bullous mastocytosis associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, whose investigation showed mast cell infiltration in the intestinal wall. The third patient presented an early and extensive cutaneous manifestation of mastocytosis, with a dramatic evolution to shock and posterior death.Discussion: clinical aspects, treatment and prognosis of such forms of the disease are discussed.