In this report we will highlight an interesting 3 year case of a halo nevus on the back of a 13-year-old Korean girl. This was a single halo nevus with a central pinkish mole and a depigmented patch, 20 mm in diameter. The patient underwent an autologous suction blister graft on the lesion. The halo nevus was completely repigmented except for the marginal rim. At a 4 month follow-up, a new whitish halo was observed around the central pinkish mole. At this point the central nevus was excised and examined with a H & E stain and an immunohistochemical stain with an anti-Ig G antibody. After the excision of the central mole, repigmentation was completed and this condition persisted at a 3-year-follow-up.
Adolescent ; Blister* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nevus ; Nevus, Halo* ; Recurrence* ; Suction* ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: The loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors appeats to be associated with a progression to less differentiated and hormone-independent tumors. The gain of hormone independency over time even in estrogen receptor-positive tumors has become another obstacle to endocrine therapy for breast cancer. We tried to regain the hormone dependency in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells by lipofecting estmgen receptor cDNA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA (pSGS-HEO) was lipofected into estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, in an attempt to restore their sensitivity to antiestrogen. Then the effects of 17p-estradiol and tamoxifen were studied by counting viable cell numbers after treating the lipofected cell line with either one or together. RESULTS: Culture medium cantaining phenol red, a weak estrogen, has growth advantages compared with culture medium without it. In both culture conditions, cell growth was most profoundly inhibited in 4 days after lipofection with mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA, which was overcome after that day. Tamoxifen, as an antiestrogen, showed a growth inhibitory effect slightly stronger tban combined conditions of tamoxifen and 17- estradiol compared to estrogen-treated group and to control, and the inhibitory effect was lasted 4 days. CONCLUSION: The temporary induction of estrogen receptor by lipofection with pSGS-HEO on estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 showed negative growth control on these cells by tamoxifen, indicating that liposome-mediated estrogen receptor transfection may be used as a novel therapeutic strategy for hormane independent human breast cancers in the near future.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Count ; Cell Line ; DNA, Complementary ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens* ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans* ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Tamoxifen ; Transfection

Porokeratosis are characterized by distinct clinical findings of a keratotic ridge that corresponds to the cornoid lamella on histology and has well defined potential for malignancy. We report a case of basal cell carcinoma(BCC) arising in linear porokeratosis in a 77-yearold man.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Porokeratosis*

BACKGROUND: Hormones influence various normal biological processes in the skin and hairs. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of estrogen receptors(ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in the skin and to assess differences in sex and age. METHODS: We examined seven normal volunteers' skin. The mouse monoclonal antibodies against human ER and PR were used to identify the localization of ER and PR in the frozen tissue sections by using a standard two stage indirect immunoperoxidase technique. RESULTS: The granular layer of epidermis and infundibulum of hair follicle in all the samples showed strong positivity of PR. Although each skin section did not contain all skin appendages, most of the samples showed that eccrine gland duct, inner root sheath of hair follicle stained weakly positive of PR. ER was not demonstrate in all samples epidermis. CONCLUSION: PR was presented in the granular layer of epidermis, infundibulum of hair follicle, eccrine gland duct, and inner root sheath of hair follicle. Therefore, we might suspect that the progesterone probably contributes to the keratinization of the skin because these positively staining sites are prior to complete keratinization layers.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Biological Processes ; Eccrine Glands ; Epidermis* ; Estrogens* ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Mice ; Pituitary Gland ; Progesterone* ; Receptors, Progesterone* ; Skin

Varicella during pregnancy is a threat to both mother and fetus because of disseminated infection, varicella pneumonia and meningitis etc. And about 10% of babies acquire intrauterine infection, as indicated by the congenital varicella syndrome, neonatal varicella or zoster during infancy. We report a case of varicella in a 30-year-old, 39 weeks and 3 days' gestational age, full-term pregnant woman presented with generalized erythematous papules, vesicles, pustules and umbilicated pustules on the whole body. She was ordered absolute bed rest for delaying the delivery and treated with acyclovir and varicella-zoster immune globulin. However, she delivered a healthy baby which weighed 3,350 gm the next early morning. In our investigation of cord blood after delivery, varicella-zoster IgG and IgM by ELIZA method were negative and varicella-zoster virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction was also negative. The newborn revealed no clinical evidence of skin lesions and anomalies of varicella. So we supposed there was no intrauterine varicella infection.
Acyclovir ; Adult ; Bed Rest ; Chickenpox* ; DNA ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Herpes Zoster ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant, Newborn ; Meningitis ; Mothers ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Skin

A 35-year-old housewife was diagnosed with onychomycosis and treated by oral terbinafine, 250mg/day, for 4 months. Clinically all infected nails improved gradually. However, her left great toe-nail was not improved thereafter. At that time the proximal end of the onychomycotic lesion was marked with surgical blade, and terbinafine therapy was continued for four weeks. However, the onychomycotic nail was not improved, and the scratch mark passed by the proximal end of the infected nail. Therefore, we detected the resistance to the therapy and switched the medication to itraconazole 100 mg/day and then another scratch mark was done at the proximal end of the onychomycotic lesion. After another 2 weeks the infected nail went along with the scratch mark distally, and showed clinical improvement. After 8 weeks therapy of itraconazole, she was cured clinically and mycologically. The fungal culture was identified as Aspergillus sydowii.
Adult ; Aspergillus* ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Onychomycosis*

We report a patient who developed a Barrett,s esophageal ulcer 10 years after esophagomyotomy for achalasia. A-59-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with dysphagia for 2 months. In 1982, she had undergone a modified Heller esophagomyotomy for achalsia. After esophagogram, esophageal manometry, 24hr esophageal pH monitoring, esophagoscophy achalasia and Barrett,s esophageal ulcer was diagnosed. So, she had been treated with omeprazole and sucralfate and has been followed up in a asymtomatic state currently. In Barrett,s esophagus, there is a metaplasia of the normal stratified squamous mucosa to columnar epithelium, caused by the reflux of acid. It appears in approximately 10% of patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux and is associated with increased probability of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Among the predis- posing factors of gastroesophageal reflux, there is treatment of esophageal achalsia by forceful dilatation or by the esophagomyotomy. The resultant ralaxation of lower esophageal sphinter, combined with deficient propulsive esophageal peristalsis, predisposed to gastroesophageal reflux. Actually an increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, esophagitis and stricture are well-known complications after esophagomyotomy. But in spite of higher risk of gastroesophageal reflux after esophagomyotomy the development of Barrett,s mucosa has been rarely reported and only recently recognized. Diagnosis of Barrett,s esophagus in such patients is difficult and the cumulative effects of achalasia and Barrett's esophagus predispose these patient to higher risk of developing esophageal carcinoma. So, high index of awareness and regular endoscopic surveillance are required.
Adenocarcinoma ; Barrett Esophagus ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Epithelium ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Incidence ; Manometry ; Metaplasia ; Mucous Membrane ; Omeprazole ; Peristalsis ; Sucralfate ; Ulcer*

BACKGROUND: Ivory colored hypopigmentation has been frequently observed in morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, and also seen after phenol peels, dermabrasion, cryosurgery and post-laser resurfacing. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate the cause of hypopigmentation following autologous suction blister graft (ASBG) in vitiligo patients. METHODS: The ivory lesion and contralateral normal skin were collected by punch biopsies. And the tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Fontana-Masson, Masson's trichrome, Verhoeff-van Gieson, and S-100 protein to compare the differences between two specimens. RESULTS: H-E and Masson's Trichrome stains showed that compacted hyalinized sclerotic collagens and collapsed, small sized capillaries in the upper dermis were definite in the hypopigmented lesion, whereas norma1 control sites were unremarkable. Elastic fibers were markedly decreased or fragmented in upper dermis of the hypopigmented lesion. Fontanna-Masson stain identified that the lesional epidermis was more hyperpigmented rather than hypopigmented. S-100 stain showed no differences between hypopigmented and contro1 sites. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the ivory colored hypopigmentation is not caused by the failure of procedure, but by scar formation due to deep freeze; therefore, this kind of complication may be prevented by carefully performing the cryotherapy.
Biopsy ; Blister* ; Capillaries ; Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Coloring Agents ; Cryosurgery ; Cryotherapy ; Dermabrasion ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hypopigmentation* ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus ; Phenol ; S100 Proteins ; Scleroderma, Localized ; Skin ; Suction* ; Transplants* ; Vitiligo*

No abstract available.
Paragonimiasis*

A 37-year-old female was presented with an epidermal cyst on her lower back. Histopathologic examination was consistent with an epidermoid cyst with seborrheic verrucalike cyst wall and acantholytic change was also found in the cyst wall. Human papillomavirus(HPV)-specific DNA sequences in paraffin-embedded tissue section were not detected by polymerase chain reaction using HPV consensus primers.
Acantholysis* ; Adult ; Base Sequence ; Consensus ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Female ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction