Cd30-Positive Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma with Ichthyosis Acquisita

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma recognized by the expression of the CD30 marker and by its morphology. We report an unusual case of ALCL in a 42-year-old woman. For ten years the patient only had pruritic erythematous skin lesions, then a plaque with nodules and ulcers on the right thigh and leg developed, followed by ichthyosis acquisita. The development of ALCL in women and the association of ichthyosis acquisita with this type of lymphoma are uncommon.

Influence of tumor thickness and vascularity on survival in cutaneous melanoma

Eighty-eight cases of cutaneous melanoma (CM) were analyzed in order to elucidate the relationship between thickness, angiogenesis, and prognosis. The thickness of the tumor was measured according to the Breslow method, and the microvessels were identified by an immunohistochemical study using anti-factor VIII monoclonal antibody on specimens from 40 patients with superficial spreading melanoma (SSM), and 48 with nodular type (NM). Microvessels were counted in the area of highest density. The overall survival and disease-free period were analyzed retrospectively. The proportion of patients with thicker CMs (> 1.5 mm) increased with age in both sexes. Mean vascular count was statistically significant different only between thinner and thicker tumors in the SSM group (P < 0.05). Prognosis was correlated with the thickness of CM (P = 0.0002), mean vascular count alone (P = 0.004), mean vascular count in association with CM thickness less than 1.5 mm (P = 0.0005), and with mean vascular count in NM (P = 0.02). These findings suggest that increasing microvessel density indicates a worsening prognosis.

Treatment of early syphilis with azithromycin

An open, noncomparative study was performed to establish the efficacy of azithromycin in the treatment of early syphilis. Sixteen patients were treated with oral azithromycin: 1g the first day and then 500 mg for the following 8 days. Two patients were excluded from the study, leaving 14 patients for the evaluation of the efficacy. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) negativity was observed in 3 out of 6 patients treated for primary syphilis after 3 months and in all patients after 6 months. Two of 8 patients treated for manifest or early latent secondary syphilis had VDRL negativity after 3 months and 4 patients after 6 months. This study demonstrates that azithromycin is effective in the treatment of early syphilis. Two patients experienced gastrointestinal side effects which did not require treatment interruption.

A 20-year epidemiological study of cutaneous melanoma in the Rijeka district of Croatia

A retrospective study was made of the incidence of cutaneous melanoma among the population of the district of Rijeka (Croatia) during the period 1977-96. A total of 397 patients with cutaneous melanoma was documented during this period. Over the 20-year period the incidence of the tumour increased, the mean annual rate being 4. 8 (4.0 in males and 5.4 in females) in the first 10-year period and 7.16 in the second (7.1 in males and 7.3 in females). The number of registered cases in males and females was almost identical (1 : 1.05). The number of melanoma cases increased with age in both sexes, whereas it was rare in children. The most affected anatomical location was the trunk in males and the lower limbs in females. The results indicate the need for active prevention and educational programmes in this population.