A case of alopecia universalis in a 45-year-old male was reported. The hair loss initiated on the eyebrows and progressed to the whole body, but the scalp hairs were well preserved. Histopathologic features of eyebrows were compatible findings with alopecia areata. This is a unique case of alopecia universalis without any involvement of scalp hairs.
Alopecia/*pathology ; Case Report ; Extremities ; Eyebrows/pathology ; Genitalia, Male ; Hair/*pathology ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Scalp/*pathology ; Skin/pathology

Color-dilution alopecia is a relatively uncommon hereditary skin disease seen in "Blue" and other color-diluted dogs. This syndrome is associated with a color-dilution gene. The initial clinical signs are the gradual onset of a dry, dull and poor hair coat quality. Hair shafts and hair regrowth are poor, and follicular papules may develop and progress to frank comedones. Hair loss and comedo formation are usually most severe on the trunk, especially color-diluted area on the skin. Six cases of color-dilution alopecia are reported in 3 months to 10 years old dogs. The breeds of dogs are blue Doberman Pinscher, Miniature Pinscher, Dachshund, and Schnauzer. Grossly, extensive partial hair loss was seen on the skin. Histopathologically, the epidermis is relatively normal but may be hyperplastic. Hair follicles are characterized by atrophy and distortion. Heavily clumped melanin is present in the epidermis, dermis and hair follicles.
Alopecia/genetics/*veterinary ; Animals ; Dog Diseases/*genetics ; Dogs ; Female ; Hair Color/*genetics ; Male ; Skin/pathology

Abnormalities, Multiple ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Alopecia ; pathology ; Bone Diseases, Developmental ; pathology ; Diarrhea ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Muscle Spasticity ; pathology ; Syndrome

Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) was first described in 1982 by Goldstein. Considered a rare malignant skin appendageal tumor, it is often underdiagnosed due to its clinical and histopathological resemblance to other cutaneous neoplasms. MAC is locally aggressive with infiltration of perineural spaces, subcutaneous tissue, skeletal muscles, and so on. Aggressive treatment including wide local excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, or radiation therapy is necessary owing to the high recurrence rate. Herein, we report a case of a 47-year-old Korean woman with a skin-colored hardened plaque on the scalp with a clinical diagnosis of cicatricial alopecia and histopathological diagnosis of MAC. After treatment by Mohs micrographic surgery, the patient is being followed up regularly without any sign of recurrence. This case demonstrates an uncommon topography of MAC on the scalp with secondary cicatricial alopecia and highlights the need for awareness of the potential for MAC in the diagnosis of alopecia with a slow-growing tumor.
Alopecia* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mohs Surgery ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Subcutaneous Tissue

OBJECTIVES: The pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is related to the level of androgen and its metabolic pathways. The binding of androgen and androgen receptor (AR) depends on the assistance of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). HSP27 combined with microRNAs (miR)-1 can regulate AR levels. However, it is not clear whether HSP27 and miR-1 jointly participate in the pathogenesis of AGA. This study aims to investigate the role of AR up-regulation in the pathogenesis of AGA and underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A total of 46 male AGA patients (AGA group), who admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from September 2019 to February 2020, and 52 healthy controls admitted to the same period were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and HSP27 in patients and healthy controls were measured by ELISA. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of HSP27 and AR in scalp tissues of patients and the healthy controls. The levels of HSP27, AR, and miR-1 were analyzed using real-time PCR. Human dermal papilla cells were transfected with HSP27 siRNA to inhibit the expression of HSP27. MiR-1 and miR-1 inhibitors were transfected simultaneously or separately into cells and then the changes in AR protein expression were detected. RESULTS: The levels of DHT and HSP27 in the AGA group were (361.4±187.7) pg/mL and (89.4±21.8) ng/mL, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group [(281.8±176.6) pg/mL and (41.2±13.7) ng/mL, both P<0.05]. However, there was no significant difference in serum HSP27 and AR levels among AGA patients with different degrees of hair loss (P>0.05). Correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between HSP27 level and DHT level in the AGA patients (P<0.05). The level of HSP27 mRNA in scalp tissue was negatively correlated with that of miR-1 mRNA (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of HSP27 protein, AR protein, HSP27 mRNA, and AR mRNA in scalp tissues of AGA group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The up-regulation of HSP27 in scalp tissues of AGA patients was closely related to the increased levels of AR. However, the level of miR-1 in scalp tissues of AGA patients was significantly down-regulated, contrary to the expression of AR (P<0.05). Further in cell studies showed that inhibition of HSP27 or miR-1 expression in human dermal papilla cells could inhibit the expression of AR, and inhibition of both HSP27 and miR-1 expression was found to have an accumulative effect on AR, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS HSP27 could combine with miR-1 to up-regulate AR levels, which is closely related to the development of AGA.
Alopecia/pathology* ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; RNA, Messenger ; Receptors, Androgen/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated chronic liver disease characterized by hepatocellular inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis and fulminant hepatic failure. The standard treatment for AIH includes corticosteroids alone or in combination with azathioprine. Although most patients achieve remission using the standard regimen, some patients do not respond due to either drug intolerance or refractory disease; in such cases alternative immunosuppressive agents should be explored. The second-line therapies are cyclophilin inhibitors such as cyclosporine A or tacrolimus, and nowadays mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is widely used if azathioprine-based therapies are not tolerated. Although these are recommended as an alternative to the first-line regimen, there is insufficient evidence for the efficacy of second-line therapies, with the evidence based mainly on expert opinion. Therefore, we report an AIH patient receiving the standard regimen in whom remission did not occur due to side effects to azathioprine, but was successfully treated with MMF in combination with corticosteroids as an alternative to the standard regimen.
Alanine Transaminase/analysis ; Alopecia/etiology ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/*therapeutic use ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/analysis ; Azathioprine/adverse effects ; Female ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune/*drug therapy/pathology ; Humans ; Liver/enzymology/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Mycophenolic Acid/*therapeutic use ; Pancytopenia/etiology ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy, toxicity and safety of an new domestic docetaxel in the treatment of pretreated advanced breast cancer.

METHODSFourty-four breast cancer patients who had failed in first-line chemotherapy were included in this trial. They received docetaxel as the second-line chemotherapy. Docetaxel was administered alone at a dose of 70 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor to prevent granulocytopenia was not permitted. The response rate and toxicity were evaluated by World Health Organization toxicity scale and performance status by Karnofsky scale.

RESULTSOf the 41 evaluable patients, 4 achieved complete response and 14 partial remission, with a response rate and clinical benefit rate of 43.9% and 85.4%, respectively. Grade 3 or grade 4 neutropenia developed in 42.9%, alopecia in 7.1% and vomiting in 4.8% of these patients. Fluid retention was not observed in this series.

CONCLUSIONThree-week administration of docetaxel alone at a dose of 70 mg/m2 is effective and tolerable. It provides an alternative for the pretreated advanced breast cancer patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alopecia ; chemically induced ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Remission Induction ; Taxoids ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Vomiting ; chemically induced

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of taxol-based chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

METHODSTwenty-nine patients with AGC treated with taxol-based protocols: taxol plus 5-fluouracil 17 patients, taxol plus cisplatin 10 patients, taxol plus epirubicin 2 patients.

RESULTSTwenty-six patients were evaluated for clinical response. There was no complete response, PR 10 (34.5%), SD 12 (41.4%), PD 4 (13.8%). The total response rate was 34.5%. The clinical beneficial response rate was 72.4% (21/29). Median time to progression (mTTP) was 5.8 months and median overall survival time was 9.3 months. The main side effects were: suppression of bone marrow in 26 patients (89.7%), alopecia in 25 (86.2%), myodynia and arthrodynia in 23 (79.3%). There was no death during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONTaxol-based chemotherapy is an effective and well tolerated regimen in the treatment of AUC, which can relieve suffering and improve quality of life of the patients. It can be used as the second-line therapy for relapsed advanced gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Alopecia ; chemically induced ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Quality of Life ; Remission Induction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of irinotecan (CPT-11) combined with cisplatin (DDP) in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSOf 36 NSCLC patients consisting of 23 males and 13 females with a medium age of 52 years included, there were 26 adenocarcinomas, 7 squamous cell carcinomas, 1 adeno-squamous cell carcinoma and 2 unclassified types; 13 stage III B and 23 stage IV; 24 chemonaive and 12 previously treated by chemotherapy with a medium Karnofsky status of 90. All patients had measurable or evaluable parameters. The regimen was administered as following: CPT-11 60 mg/m2, IV, D1, 8 and 15; DDP 80 mg/m2, IV, D1; every 28 days as a cycle.

RESULTSTotally, 97 cycles were carried out in these 36 patients with a medium cycles of 3. Of 35 evaluable patients, 22.9% (8/35) achieved partial response, 60.0% (21/35) had stable disease and 17.1% (6/35) progressive disease. The response rate was 29.2% (7/24) for chemonaive patients and 9.1% (1/11) for these previously treated. The 1-year survival rate was 45.4% with a medium time to tumor progression (TTP) of 199 days for the responders. The incidence rate of grade III/IV adverse events were: 16.7% for neutropenia, 13.9% alopecia, 5.6% diarrhea, 2.8% nausea and vomiting, respectively.

CONCLUSIONIrinotecan plus cisplatin is effective with tolerable adverse events in treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, but further investigation trials are needed.

Adult ; Aged ; Alopecia ; chemically induced ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Camptothecin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate

Adult ; Aged ; Alopecia ; chemically induced ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Cisplatin ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Taxoids ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult