Publications by authors named "Brian J Tjarks"

Article Synopsis
  • Sweet syndrome is a rare skin condition characterized by fever and an increase in neutrophils, often triggered by infections, certain medications, or occasionally, sunlight exposure.
  • A case study details a 50-year-old woman who developed a painful rash after experiencing upper respiratory symptoms, using ibuprofen, and having significant sun exposure, along with symptoms like chills and nausea.
  • Diagnosis included lab tests showing elevated inflammatory markers and a skin biopsy revealing neutrophilic infiltration, with treatment via steroids leading to substantial improvement, suggesting sunlight could be a rare trigger for the syndrome.
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We describe a case of a 79-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who presented with ataxia; falls; vision loss; and numerous mobile erythematous nodules on the chin, neck, scalp, and trunk. Computed tomography of the head and chest revealed cavitary lesions in the brain and lungs. Clinically, the skin nodules were believed to represent an infectious process.

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Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant secretory gland tumor. It is characterized by slow growth, long clinical course, local recurrences, and distant metastases. In the sinonasal tract, it most commonly arises in the maxillary sinus.

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Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), also known as high-grade neuroendocrine tumor of the lung, is exceedingly rare in the pediatric population. SCLC is usually fast growing and often has metastasized at diagnosis. It frequently responds well to therapy initially, however, has a high relapse and mortality rate.

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Background: Reliable nuclear immunohistochemical stains for sebaceous neoplasms have not been readily available. Positive nuclear staining has been reported for GATA3 and factor XIIIa (AC-1A1). We sought to determine the diagnostic utility of these nuclear stains by comparing their staining pattern to adipophilin, a consistently positive cytoplasmic stain.

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Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among males in the U.S. Metastatic disease commonly involves the bones, lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and brain.

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Background: Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is considered pivotal in diagnosing autoimmune blistering diseases. Our goal was to examine the necessity of DIF in intraepidermal bullous cases, of which pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is the prototype.

Methods: Sixty-six cases from 2010 to 2014 submitted for DIF with an intraepidermal blistering disease listed in the differential diagnosis were reviewed by 2 board-certified dermatopathologists to see if they would order DIF based on routine histologic findings.

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