BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is malignant proliferation of T-helper memory lymphocyte, and only a minority of cases present with other phenotypes such as CD3+, CD4-, CD8+ or CD3+, CD8+. Primary cutaneous CD8+ epidermotropic cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma is known to represent aggressive course. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to define the CD8 expression in mycosis fungoides and clinical characteristics of CD8+ MFs. In addition, we also studied whether the presence of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) had any impact on prognosis of the disease. Patients & METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 9 patients with MFs by chart review and medical records including age, location, disease duration and patients prognostic features. We also observed CD4 and CD8 expression through the immunohistochemical staining on paraffin-embedded tissue. RESULTS: All the patients, including the present study, showed positive response to CD8 immunohistochemical staining. CD8+ TIL was found in upper dermis (100.0%) of all patients. Two patients had lesion with CD4 TIL more strongly stained than with CD8 TIL, 2 patients with CD8 more than CD4, and the rest showed equally stained lesion. There were no significant differences among the location of CD8 TIL, the density of staining, CD4 TIL/ CD8 TIL and disease prognosis. On long-term follow-up, these results described herein showed that patients with CD8+ cutaneous T-cell lymphomas enjoyed good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that all MFs showed positive response to CD8 immunohistochemical staining. Our CD4+ and CD8+ MFs showed clinical features similar to those reported CD4+ and CD8- MFs and enjoyed good prognosis rather than aggressive clinical behavior on long-term clinical follw-up.
Dermis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Medical Records ; Memory ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Phenotype ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Verrucous hemangiomas are usually congenital lesions which typically present as warty, bluish, vascular papules, plaques, or nodules mainly on the lower limbs of children. It is a structural variant of capillary or cavernous hemangioma, in which reactive epidermal changes develop secondarily. They show no tendency to spontaneous resolution, and tend to spread and recur after inadequate treatments. It is important, from a prognostic and therapeutic point of view, to make a correct diagnosis between verrucous hemangioma and angiokeratoma circumscriptum, because the former needs a large and deep excision and the latter responds to the common means of physical therapy. We report a case of 37-year-old man with verrucous hemangioma which was developed at his third decade.
Adult* ; Angiokeratoma ; Capillaries ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Hemangioma* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Lower Extremity

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis(EV) is a rare disease characterized by a unique susceptibility to widespread infection with human papilloma virus. It induces flat papular skin lesions, characterized by large vacuolated cells in the upper epithelial layers. We report a patient of EV in association with non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma(NHL) improved with systemic acitretin treatment. A 69-year-old man presented multiple red flat-topped papules and plaques on his face and upper extremities for 12 years. Past various therapeutic modalities including DPCP sensitization were entirely ineffective. Several years ago, NHL of cervical lymph node was diagnosed. With the treatments with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he is now in remission state. His skin biopsy specimen showed extensive vacuolation of upper malpighian layer. Bleomycin IL trial showed no response. Only 1 week after oral acitretin administration, his lesions began to exfoliate and became much flatter. Acitretin was effective but not suitable for maintenance therapy.
Acitretin* ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Bleomycin ; Drug Therapy ; Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Papilloma ; Radiotherapy ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Upper Extremity

Pseudoporphyria is a generic term that is used to describe photoaggravated bullous dermatoses associated with multiple iatrogenic causes, including medications and dialysis. The bullous lesions of pseudoporphyria are similar to those of porphyria cutanea tarda, both clinically and histologically, but they occur in the absence of the abnormally high levels of porphyrins which are found in true porphyrias. Treatment entails discontinuation of suspected agents and sun protection, especially against UVA wavelengths. We report a case of pseudoporphyria in a 28-year-old male who had erythematous crusted erosions, vesicles and hyperpigmented macules on his face and both forearms. A biopsy from his Lt. forearm revealed subepidermal bullaes with festooning of dermal papillae, and mild lymphocytic perivascular infiltrations. However laboratory tests for porphyrin were negative in his urine, blood and stool.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Dialysis ; Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Porphyria Cutanea Tarda ; Porphyrias ; Porphyrins ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous ; Solar System

Clear cell acanthoma is a relatively uncommon benign disease, which usually presents as solitary lesions, often localized on the lower legs of middle aged or elderly individuals1. Clinically it presents as a flat or dome-shaped, sharply demarcated papule or nodule. Histopathologic findings are composed of clear cells within sharply demarcated area of the epidermis. We report three cases of clear cell acanthoma developed on the nipples and areolar areas of the young women. These cases should be differentiated from various diseases showing clinically benign eczematous feature. In conclusion, clear cell acanthoma could be included in the differential diagnosis of eczema, and it is suggested that biopsies specimen should include the lesion as well as the normal tissue.
Acanthoma* ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eczema ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Nipples*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Melanoma antigen gene (MAGE)-A which have more than 12 subtypes is a gene family for tumor specific shared antigens, recognized by the cytotoxic T cell. Since these genes are expressed only in tumor cells and silent in normal adult tissues except in the male germ line, they may be used as diagnostic markers in detecting malignancy. During the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal tract, the hyperplastic epithelium-adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence is largely accepted and the molecular studies on each step have been issued. However, in the aspect of carcinogenesis in the gastrointestinal tract, MAGE genes have not studied yet. To explore the functional role and clinical significance of MAGE-A genes in the carcinogenesis of the colon, mRNA expression of MAGE-A1 to -A6 in the mucosal tissues obtained from the colonoscopy was investigated and the relationship between their expressions and clinicopathologic parameters was analysed. METHODS: We investigated the expression of MAGE 1~6 in 65 endoscopically biopsied samples of neoplastic and nonneoplastic tissues from the colon, using a MAGE common primer by the reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Of the 31 colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens examined, MAGE genes were expressed in 11 cases (36%). In contrast, no expression of these genes was observed in any of the 12 samples of tubular adenoma and 12 of non-specific colitis and 5 cases of normal colonic tissues. There was no significant correlation between the expression of the MAGE genes and clinicopathologic factors, such as gender, disease stage, lymph node metastasis and perineural and vascular invasion in colonic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: It is postulated that the expression of MAGE genes could reflect the late event of oncogenesis of the colon because no MAGE expression was noticed in chronic inflamamtion and adenomas which might have the important role in the process of malignant transformation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Adult ; Carcinogenesis* ; Colitis ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Genes, vif ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Melanoma ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to analyze 7-year cumulative survival rate (CSR, %) of dental implants in the controlled diabetic patients and to evaluate the influence of the position, diameter and length of fixture, bone quality, age, gender and the method of maxillary sinus elevation on the survival rate. METHODS: The data of 342 placed implants in the 104 diabetic patients collected between 1995 and 2007 at the Department of Periodontology in Yonsei University Hospital were analyzed. RESULTS: Seven-year CSR of the 342 dental implants in the 104 controlled diabetic patients was 96.5%. The survival rates of the placed implants according the position have no statistically significant difference. The survival rates according to the length or diameter of the fixtures have no statistically significant difference. The survival rates according to the bone quality were 100% (Type I), 97.1% (Type II), 97.7% (Type III) and 85.7%(Type IV). The difference between the survival rate of Type I, II and III and that of Type IV was statistically significant. The survival rates according to patient gender were 96.8% (male), 95.5% (female). The survival rates according to patient age were 100% (< or = 59), 93.8% (> or = 60). The survival rates according to the method of sinus elevation in the maxillary posterior area were 96.8% (without sinus elevation), 92.9% (lateral approach) and 89.8% (crestal approach). CONCLUSIONS: Dental implants can be used successfully in the controlled diabetic patients. In case of upper posterior region which has poor bone density and older patients, the implant treatment should be more properly planed, executed, and followed-up.
Bone Density ; Dental Implants ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Cutaneous involvement in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is the form of either a neoplastic infiltration or various nonspecific lesions. The nonspecific lesions are more common and include cutaneous infection, vasculitis and neutrophilic dermatoses. The occurrence of these lesions may be the presenting feature of the disease (MDS) or may herald its progression to acute leukemia. Recognition and early diagnosis of any skin lesion in MDS patients have therapeutic and prognostic significance. We report a case of neutrophilic dermatoses associated with MDS in a 26-year-old man who presented with high fever, tender annular erythematous plaques with crust on the face and upper extremities. He was diagnosed as anemia and thrombocytopenia 3 months ago. Skin biopsy showed dense infiltration of neutrophils in the dermis. Bone marrow biopsy revealed dyspoiesis of marrow cells, consistent with MDS. It is important to investigate any skin involvement in MDS patients.
Adult ; Anemia ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Dermis ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Neutrophils* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Thrombocytopenia ; Upper Extremity ; Vasculitis

The nature of the implant surface can directly influence cellular response, ultimately affecting the rate and quality of new bone tissue formation. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate if human osteoblast-like cells, Saos-2, would respond differently when plated on disks of magnesium titanate and machined titanium. Magnesium titanate disks were prepared using Micro Arc Oxidation(MAO) methods. Control samples were machined commercially pure titanium disks. The cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation were evaluated by measuring cell number, and alkaline phosphatase(ALPase) activity at 1 day and 6 day after plating on the titanium disks. Measurement of cell number and ALPase activity in Saos-2 cells at 1 day did not demonstrate any difference between machined titanium and magnesium titanate. When compared to machined titanium disks, the number of cells was reduced on the magnesium titanate disks at 6 day, while ALPase activity was more pronounced on the magnesium titanate. Enhanced differentiation of cells grown on magnesium titanate samples was indicated by decreased cell proliferation and increased ALPase activity.
Bone and Bones ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Magnesium* ; Osteoblasts* ; Saturn* ; Titanium

The success of an implant is determined by its integration into the tissue surrounding the biomaterial. Surface roughness is considered to influence the behavior of adherent cells. The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the effect of surface roughness on Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells. Titanium disks blasted with 75 micrometer aluminum oxide particles and machined titanium disks were prepared. Saos-2 were plated on the disks at a density of 50,000 cells per well in 48-well dishes. After 1 hour, 1 day, 6 days cell numbers were counted. One day, 6 days after plating, alkaline phosphatase(ALPase) activity was determined. Compared to experimental group, the number of cells was significantly higher on control group. The stimulatory effect of surface roughness on ALPase was more pronounced on the experimental group than on control group. These results demonstrate that surface roughness alters proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. The results also suggest that implant surface roughness may play a role in determining phenotypic expression of cells.
Aluminum Oxide ; Cell Count ; Osteoblasts* ; Titanium*