Failure of isotretinoin and interferon-alpha combination therapy for HPV-linked severe vulvar dysplasia. A report of two cases.

Background: Retinoids (RA) and interferon (IFN) have been reported to be active against a variety of tumors and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related lesions. Because chronic and recurrent HPV-linked vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (VIN 3) have a high risk of invasion, we evaluated combined therapy of IFN-alpha with 13-cis-retinoic acid (13 cRA) in the treatment of two VIN 3 cases of this type.

Case: Two patients with chronic and recurrent VIN 3 were treated with combined therapy of IFN-alpha (4.

Lack of evidence of human herpesvirus 8 DNA sequences in HIV-negative patients with various lymphoproliferative disorders of the skin.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a new virus which has been reported in Kaposi's sarcoma and some lymphoproliferative disorders such as Castleman's disease and body-cavity-based lymphoma. Because HHV-8 shares homology with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), we searched for the presence of HHV-8 DNA sequences in various cutaneous T- and B-cell lymphoma by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-seven HIV-negative patients with cutaneous lymphoma or large plaque parapsoriasis were enrolled in the study.

An extract from cultured human keratinocytes that contains the major autoantigens related to autoimmune bullous skin diseases.

Autoantibodies characteristic of autoimmune bullous skin diseases (AIBDs) can be detected by immunoblotting on epidermal, dermal, or bovine muzzle extracts. However, none of those substrates contain all the autoantigens involved in AIBDs, and the diagnosis requires the use of various substrates. Human keratinocytes were cultured under such conditions that they expressed the major autoantigens associated with AIBDs.

Anetoderma of Jadassohn-Pellizzari.

Anetoderma (derived from the Greek anetos, meaning slack) is a term used to describe localized increased laxity of the skin with herniation or outpouching, resulting from abnormal dermal elastic tissue. Primary anetoderma is distinctly rare. We describe a case where we suspect an auto-immune aetiology.

Primary cutaneous medium and large cell lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides. An immunohistological and follow-up study on 54 cases. French Study Group for Cutaneous Lymphomas.

Primary cutaneous medium and large cell lymphomas (MLCL) other than mycosis fungoides (MF) are rare, and their prognosis and treatment are controversial. The clinical, immunohistological and follow-up data of 54 well-documented cases of primary cutaneous MLCL other than MF, seen in our institutions over a 14-year period, were retrospectively reviewed, in order to determine the prognostic factors related to these lymphomas, and to analyse the results obtained with different treatment regimens. Forty-six patients presented with a solitary tumour or with localized lesions, and eight had disseminated cutaneous lesions.

Herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in patients with Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma.

DNA sequences closely related to herpesvirus-like sequences have been found in AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma. Using PCR, we found herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in Kaposi's lesions and normal adjacent skin in five patients with Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma. We did not find these sequences in tissues from patients without Kaposi's sarcoma.

[Cutaneous ulcerations in sarcoidosis].

We report the case of a 23 year-old Caribbean woman with sarcoidosis who developed specific skin ulcerations. Ulcerative lesions in sarcoidosis are distinctly unusual, generally multiple, painless, with preponderant location on the lower limbs. The diagnosis is difficult.

[Multifocal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with partial remission after interferon alfa-2a treatment].

Introduction: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular tumour of the soft tissue having an intermediate malignancy. Cutaneous presentations have exceptionally been reported.

Observation: A young woman, initially affected by an EHE with cutaneous and bone involvement, then with pulmonary and hepatic localizations, was in partial remission after one year of treatment with alpha 2a interferon.

[Congenital cutaneous Langerhans histiocytosis. Apropos of 7 cases].

Seven cases of congenital Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LH) are reported, with emphasis on clinical and immunohistochemical features. This is a polymorphic disease at birth. In 4/7 cases, the diffuse, generalized rash could be classified as cutaneous Letterer-Siwe disease (LSD); 3/4 remained purely cutaneous and healed in less than 3 months; whereas the fourth-one persisted, pulmonary lesions appeared, and the infant died on his 40th day.

[Primary cutaneous lymphoma, with the exception of mycosis fungoides].

Cutaneous lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides (MF) form a rare and heterogeneous group. Their clinical behavior remains largely unknown. In this study, the clinical, immunohistological characteristics and follow-up data of 27 well-documented cases of primary cutaneous lymphomas other than MF, limited to the skin (stage IE) were reviewed.

Cutaneous lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides: follow-up study of 52 patients.

Cutaneous lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides (MF) represent a rare and heterogeneous group of lymphomas. Their clinical behavior remains largely unknown. In this study, the clinical and immunohistologic characteristics and follow-up data of 52 well-documented cases of cutaneous lymphomas other than MF, presenting with initial cutaneous lesions, were reviewed.

Latent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in systemic necrotizing vasculitis.

We have investigated hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in systemic necrotizing vasculitis (SNV). Our approach included the detection of the viral surface antigen (HBsAg) with a radioimmunoassay employing monoclonal anti-HBs (m-RIA); in addition, HBV DNA was looked for in serum and peripheral mononuclear blood cells. Among 28 subjects with SNV, 12 were found to be positive for HBsAg with the conventional test (p-RIA) and 7 additional subjects had anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs.

The epithelial changes associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a review of the clinical, histological and viral findings in 78 women.

Seventy-eight excised specimens of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva were reviewed retrospectively for the presence of lichen sclerosus or vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) at sites proximal to the tumour or more distant. Lichen sclerosus was evident in 61% and VIN alone in 31%. VIN III (differentiated) was associated with over 50% of the specimens with lichen sclerosus.

Vestibular papillae of the vulva. Lack of evidence for human papillomavirus etiology.

Vestibular papillae of the vulva are usually considered as anatomical variants of the vestibular mucosa. Clinically, however, they are quite often interpreted as condylomata acuminata and recent studies have suggested that they could be related to human papillomavirus infection. This prompted us to search for human papillomavirus DNA using the Southern blot hybridization technique, by analyzing biopsy specimens taken from 29 patients who presented with papillae of the vestibular mucosa.