We report a case of disseminated cutaneous metastatic carcinoma from stomach carcinoma in a 66-year-old male who complained chiefly of widespread cutaneous nodules. He had been admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine for stomach carcinoma. A radiological examination revealed a diffuse stomach wall thickening from the fundus to the antrum, and enlargement of paraaortic and pericaval lymph nodes during an abodominal CT scan. The clinical findings manifested above may suggest cutaneous metastasis from stomach carcinoma. A histological examination of the skin and stomach biopsies showed atypical cells with pleomorphic, hyperchromatic nuclei and bubble-like cytoplasm, which are consistent with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that these cells were positive for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and low molecular weight cytokeratin.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Molecular Weight ; Mucin-1 ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Skin ; Stomach* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The regular use of soaps and synthetic detergents has been associated with skin dryness and aggravation of dermatological conditions. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the irritancy of 10 hand dishwashing liquids on normal skin. METHODS: The skin changes, responding to repeat patch testing with 10 hand dishwashing liquids, were measured by visual scoring. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows; 1. Of the 16 healthy volunteers 8 had reactions. 5 women and 3 men, but there was no significant difference in irritancy between men and women. 2. The mean irritancy scores of the 10 hand dishwashing liquids ranged from 0.06 to 0.88. 3. A prominent increase in the degree of erythema in the first 24 hour patch test did not persist beyond exposure day 5, but after day 5, augmented responses of the erythema and scales, even fissuring occurred. 4. The pH of the test solutions of the hand dishwashing liquids ranged from 5.0 to 6.0, but there appeared to be no correlation between pH and irritancy in the dishwashing liquids tested. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that regular exposure to hand dishwashing liquids may cause disturbances of the skin in a substantial proportion of individuals, and workers should use hand dishwashing liquids in lower concentrations than recommended and only for short periods with protective measures.
Detergents ; Erythema ; Female ; Hand* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Patch Tests ; Skin* ; Soaps ; Weights and Measures

Pretibial myxedema, which consists of localized cutaneous accumulations of acid mucopolysaccharides, oceurs in a few patients with hyperthyroidi';m after its correction by surgery or radioactive iodine therapy. We report a case of pretibial myxedema with exophthalmos in a 36 year old male. He has suffered from hyperthyroidism with bilateral pretibial myxedema for a period of 4 years. He was treated with a subtotal thyroidectomy and excision of both pletibia lesions 1 year ago. The lesions recurred on t,he left pretibial area, as a 11 X 16cm sized, non pitting, non tender, swollen, brownish plaque. The histopathologic findings showed epidermal hyperkeratosis and a considerable arnount of mucin in the mid-dermis. We treat.ed him with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide with marked improvement.
Adult ; Exophthalmos ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Injections, Intralesional ; Iodine ; Male ; Mucins ; Myxedema* ; Thyroidectomy ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

A case of a 21-year old female with Maffucci's syndrome is presented where the patient developed multiple cutaneous spindle-cell hemangioendotheliomas. She had multiple pea to walnut sized, non-tender, normal skin colored or slight bluish nodules and bony mass-like lesions on the left upper extremity and hand. A histological examination of the lesions showed that they were composed of irregularly dilated, thin walled cavernous blood spaces containing phleboliths and collapsed vascular spaces separated by spindled fibroblastic cells. Radiologically, the bony lesions showed radiolucent densities with calcified spots within the second proximal phalanx and metacarpal bone of the left hand, which were consistent with enchondromas.
Chondroma ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Hand ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Juglans ; Peas ; Skin Pigmentation ; Upper Extremity

We report a case of infantile digital fibromatosis in a 34 month-old boy, who presented with a painless subcutaneous tumor on the medial aspect of the left third toe. A histological examination showed scattered small, round eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells, which was consistent with infantile digital fibromatosis. A'immunohistochemical study revealed that desmin, a-smooth muscle actin, and vimentin were clearly positive in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells, but the inclusions themselves showed negative staining, thus indicating a hollow-like staining pattern. Electron microscopy showed either well-defined or ill-demarcated dense bodies in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. In some areas, small vesicles and intracellular organells were observed' in the inclusions. In the course of conservative treatment, a new lesion developed on the lateral aspect of the left third toe, seven months after the appearance of the initial lesion.
Actins ; Cytoplasm ; Desmin ; Eosinophils ; Fibroma* ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Negative Staining ; Toes ; Vimentin

The Baboon syndrome is used to denote a characteristic distribution pattern of systernic allergic contact dermatitis. Diffuse erythema of the buttock, upper inner surface of the thighs and axillae are characteristic features. We report three cases of Eaboon syndrome developed after contact with mercury through breaking a clinical thermometer in a 30 year-old, 16 year-old, 32 year-old females, respectively. Mercury sensitivity was confirmed by a patch test in all three patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Axilla ; Buttocks ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Erythema ; Female ; Humans ; Papio* ; Patch Tests ; Thermometers ; Thigh

No abstract available.
Hernia*

BACKGROUND: The keratinocyte growth factor(KGF) is a recently identified mitogen for epithelial cells produced by nomal stromal fibroblasts. ln the skin, KGF has been shown to stimulate keratinocyte proliferation and differentiatian. Dendritic epidermal T cells(DETC) are skin-specific members of the epithelial y 8 T-cell family that reside normally in the murine epidermis. The DETCs recognize antigen expressed by damaged or diseased neighboring keratinoctyes and consequently secrete cytokines sueh as IFN- y, lL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC as well as to investigate the cytokine-mediated intercellular communication between kerati- nocyte and DETC. METHODS: Using a RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), we examined the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC, and compared the level of KGF mRNA between resting and activated DETC with Con-A (concanavalin A).
Cytokines ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7* ; Fibroblasts ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; Keratinocytes* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Skin cancers arc the most common malignancies in human. The increasing incidence of skin cancer has been attributed to increasing exposure of the papulation to sunlight and other factors, such as chemicals or. viruses. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate a recent 10 year period(1984-1993) of clinical observation of cutaneous malignant tumors. METHODS: A statistical study was made with 60 cases of malignant tumors that visited the Departrnent of Dermatology, Chung Ang University during a 10 year period(1984-1993). RESULTS: 1. The mean incidence of cutlneous malignant tumors in the total number of outpatients was 0.16%(60/36,416). The incidence of malignant turnors has tended to increase in the last 4 years. 2. The age of onset was quite varied but the majority of cases, 51 cases(85.0%), were over 40 years old. The ratio of rnen to women was 1.3: 1.3. Among the 60 cases of malignant cutaneous tumors, the most frequently observed tumor was basal cell carcinoma, 20 cases(33.3% ). The next most frequent tumors were squamous cell carcinoma, 9 cases(15.0%), metastatic carcinoma, 9 cases(15.0%) and malignant melanoma, 6 cases(10.0%). 4. Among the 20 cases of basal cell carcinoma, 19 cases(95.0%) were over 40 years old. The most frequent age was the 7th decade(30.0%). The most common predilection sites were the nose (30.0%), the cheek(20.0%) and the eyelid(10.0%). 5. Among the 9 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 8 cases(88.9% ) were over 40 years old. The ratio of men to women was 1: 2. The most frequent age was the 8th decade(44.4% ). The most common predilection sites were the head(55.6%), lower extremity(22.2%), upper extremity (11.1%) and trunk(11.1%). 6. All patients with malignant melanoma were over 40 years old. The most frequent age was the 5th decade(50.0%). The most cornmon predilection sites were the upper and lower extremities (66.7% ). 7. Among the 9 cases of metastatic carcinoma, 7 cases(77.8%) were over 40 years old. The ratio of men to women was 1: 1.25. The most frequent primary tumor was stomach cancer in men and lung cancer in women. 8. Cutaneous malignant tumor. usually had no detectable metastasis but there were 2 cases of extramammary Pagets disease with metastasis in the regional lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS : This study revealed that the incidence of malignant tumors has tended to increase over the last few years, the most frequent age was over 40 years old, the most observed turnor was basal cell carcinoma and any type of cutaneous malignant tumors was rarely metastasis.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nose ; Outpatients ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Skin Neoplasms ; Statistics as Topic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Sunlight ; Upper Extremity

No abstract available.
Paraganglioma*