We report five cases of solitary mastocytoma. All patients were under one year of age and diagnosed as solitary mastocytoma based on clinicopathologic findings. Skin lesions were found on the right forearm, left hand, left leg, left elbow and left shoulder. They resolved themselves spontaneously resolution within 2 or 3 years.
Elbow ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Leg ; Mastocytoma* ; Shoulder ; Skin

No abstract available.
Mastocytoma* ; RNA, Antisense*

Mastocytosis is characterized by an accumulation of mast cells in various organs, most frequently in the skin. A solitary mastocytoma is a clinical variant of cutaneous mastocytosis. It is defined as a localized collection of mast cells in the skin without evidence of extracutaneous organ involvement. Here we report on a 2-year-old female patient presenting with Solitary erythematous bulla on her lower back. The patient had a history of spinal tap on the lower back for evaluation of meningitis at 5 months of age, which resulted in trauma at the site. Histopathology showed mast cells infiltrating the papillary and reticular dermis and metachromatic purple cytoplasmic granules seen with Giemsa staining. As a result, the patient was diagnosed with a solitary bullous mastocytoma and administered antihistamine. The patient showed complete remission at 3 months. Herein, we report a rare case of solitary bullous mastocytoma occurring at a trauma site.
Azure Stains ; Child, Preschool ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma* ; Mastocytosis ; Mastocytosis, Cutaneous ; Meningitis ; Skin ; Spinal Puncture*

BACKGROUND: Mastocytosis is characterized by accumulation of mast cells in various organs, most frequently, in skin. Cutaneous mastocytosis is a relatively rare disease in outpatient clinics and the clinicopathological study has not been done yet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinicopathological features of cutaneous mastocytosis. In addition, we examined CD117 expression in the skin biopsy specimens immuno histochemically. METHODS: Thirty cases of cutaneous mastocytosis were collected from 1990 to 1999 in Asan Medical Center. Clinical records, photographs, and biopsy slides were reviewed. In each biopsy specimen, CD117 was stained by immunoperoxidase method. RESULTS: Among 30 cases, 29 cases were childhood type urticaria pigmentosa(76.7%) or masto cytoma(20.0%) and only 1 case occurred after 16 years of age. The incidence showed a peak under 1 year old (70.0%) and males affected 2.3 times as much as females. The trunk and distal extremities are the most common site of urticaria pigmentosa and mastocytoma, respectively. CD117 was strongly positive in all cases of urticaria pigmentosa (both child and adult type) and mastocytoma. CONCLUSION: Urticaria pigmentosa of infantile onset was the most common, followed by infantile mastocytoma. Systemic reactive manifestations are rare in cutaneous mastocytosis. The strong expression of CD117 was seen regardless of the type of cutaneous mastocytosis.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Biopsy ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma ; Mastocytosis ; Mastocytosis, Cutaneous* ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Urticaria Pigmentosa

Mastocytosis is a rare disease which occurs in both children and adults, and it can manifest as a solitary or multiple skin lesions. Both can cause cutaneous or systemic symptoms. Because of the heterogeneity of clinical presentation of mastocytosis and its rare prevalence, it can be hard to suspect the mastocytosis at the first time. Most solitary mastocytomas are about 1–5 cm in diameter and have features of brownish-yellow, minimally elevated plaques with a smooth shiny surface. This article presents a case of solitary mastocytoma which occurred in neonate and that we treated through surgical excision. In histopathological examination, it consisted of c-kit-positive mast cells. Although pediatric cutaneous mastocytosis might regress spontaneously, clinicians should keep in mind that it could be associated with systemic mastocytosis which involves hematopoietic system.
Adult ; Child ; Hematopoietic System ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma* ; Mastocytosis ; Mastocytosis, Cutaneous ; Mastocytosis, Systemic ; Parturition* ; Population Characteristics ; Prevalence ; Rare Diseases ; Skin

Mastocytosis is a rare disease in infants and children that characterized by a pathologic increase and accumulation of mast cells in one or more organs. Cutaneous mastocytosis is a typical presentation of pediatric-onset mastocytosis and often presents classical symptoms and signs related with mast cell mediator including pruritus, flushing, abdominal pain and Darier's sign. We present our experience with two rare cases of cutaneous mastocytosis, a 3-month-old boy and a 4-month-old boy. The former had a recurrent single brownish plaque with yellowish bullae in right forearm without any other symptom or sign. The latter had multiple brownish plaques in his trunk and extremities with intermittent diarrhea and Darier's sign. In each, a punch biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of solitary mastocytoma and urticaria pigmentosa. After 2weeks of anti-histamine and leukotriene antagonist therapy for symptom relief, both infants had no remnant skin lesion or symptoms.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Child ; Diarrhea ; Extremities ; Flushing ; Forearm ; Humans ; Infant ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma ; Mastocytosis ; Mastocytosis, Cutaneous ; Pruritus ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Urticaria Pigmentosa

Nine-month-old female infant was seen with a 7-month history of a nodule on the right temporal scalp, which had gradually increased in size. Stroking of the lesion resulted in urtication and blistering and there were no other cutaneous lesions. The histology showed subepidermal bulla formation and a dense infiltration of mast cells in the papillary and reticular dermis. We present an infant with solitary mastocytoma on the scalp, a rare site.
Blister ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma* ; Scalp* ; Stroke

Taxol, an anticancer drug, blocks cell division by stabilizing microtubules. However, taxol has distinct cell-cycle-independent effects. For example, taxol and bacterial LPS induce strikingly similar responses in murine microglial cells. Here, we report that taxol, like LPS, provides a ""second"" signal for murine microglial cell activation to induce tumoricidal activity. Tumoricidal activity determined by MTT assay appeared that taxol or LPS alone weakly activated microglial cells to kill P815 mastocytoma cells, whereas combinations of taxol or LPS with IFN-r synergized to activate macrophages to lyse tumor cells in a dose dependent manner. Secretion of nitric oxide (NO) correlated with tumor cell killing, and the activated microglial cells failed to kill tumor cell targets in the presence of N'-monomethyl-L-arginine (N'MMA), a competitive inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS). Treatment of the cells with anti-TNF-a neutralizing antibodies clearly blocked taxol plus IFN-r induced tumoricidal activity as well as NO production. Collectively, the data illustrate the potential for taxol to activate microglial cell mediated-antitumor mechanisms in addition to its better characterized role as an anti-mitotic agent.
Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Cell Division ; Homicide ; Macrophages ; Mastocytoma ; Microglia ; Microtubules ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Paclitaxel*

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Mastocytoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Mastocytosis, Systemic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Vulvar Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Young Adult

A patient with long-standing urticaria pigmentosa presented with a pea-sized reddish to purplish papule on the posterior part of the right ear. Histopathologic examination revealed numerous dilated vascular structures in the upper dermis and mast cell infiltrations throughout the whole dermis, consistent with combined mastocytoma-hemangioma. The mast cells were strongly positive with Giemsa stain.
Azure Stains ; Dermis ; Ear ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma ; Urticaria ; Urticaria Pigmentosa