Carcinoma coexisting with Manson's schistosomiasis

Summary The coexistence of extensive infestation bySchistosoma mansoni and adenocarcinoma of the rectum in a young native of Puerto Rico is described. No claim for causal relationship can be made on this isolated experience. Nevertheless, it is suggested that the link between inflammation and neoplasia, if such a link exists, is in the nature of hyperplastic polypoid granulomas resulting from an undefined stimulus acting in a susceptible tissue.Acknowledgment is made of the preparation of the photomicrographs at the direction of Dr. Robert C. Horn, Jr.     

Paget's Disease of the Nipple

Paget's disease of the nipple typically presents as an eczematoid lesion in older women. In the six cases reported here, one of the patients was 25 years old, and the average age was 40. All patients had radical mastectomies. Three had infiltrating ductal carcinoma and two of these died from metastases.     

INCREASED ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANETODERMA IN HIV-1 DISEASE

Background and Objective. Anetoderma has been reported in patients with HIV-1 disease. In patients with autoimmune disease, anetoderma has been associated with increased levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (APL) that include anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) and lupus anticoagulant (LA). This has led to speculation that the autoimmune phenomena seen in HIV-1 disease and the immune dysregulation induced by HIV-1 disease may play a role in the development of these lesions. We have seen both primary and secondary lesions of anetoderma in patients followed for HIV-1 disease. In this study, we wanted to determine whether there was an association in the development of anetoderma and elevated anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) in HIV-1 patients. Methods. Quantitative ACA levels were measured in eight HIV-1-infected patients with anetoderma and four HIV-1-infected patients without anetoderma. Results. Anticardiolipin antibodies were moderately elevated in seven of eight patients with lesions and were borderline in the four HIV-1-positive patients without lesions of anetoderma. Conclusions. There appears to be a correlation between increased ACA and the development of cutaneous lesions of anetoderma in HIV-I disease. Patterns of immune dysregulation, including APL, may predispose to the development of lesions of anetoderma in HIV-1-positive patients. Although some of the lesions appear to represent primary anetoderma, the majority of our patients develop lesions in areas secondary to well characterized eruptions.     

Evaluation of the scalene lymph nodes in primary and recurrent cervical carcinoma

Open biopsy of the left scalene lymph nodes has been utilized to identify distant spread of cervical carcinoma in selected groups of patients who do not have other clinical evidence of disseminated disease. Twenty-one patients with primary cervical carcinoma and histologically proven para-aortic lymph node metastases and 10 patients with centrally recurrent tumors underwent scalene lymph node biopsy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center or the Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, between July 1, 1979 and June 30, 1985. All patients undergoing scalene node biopsy had clinically negative physical examinations. There were no surgical complications. All 31 biopsies were negative for metastatic tumor. Combined with previously reported data from this institution, 3 of 28 patients (11%) with primary cervical carcinoma and involved para-aortic nodes, and 6 of 35 patients (17%) with centrally recurrent disease had subclinical scalene node metastases. Patients with clinically suspicious scalene lymphadenopathy had fine needle aspiration cytology performed to document metastatic disease. The success of this technique has eliminated the need for open biopsy in these patients. Scalene node biopsy provides valuable prognostic information in patients with cervical cancer who have positive para-aortic lymph nodes. It also obviates surgical exploration in some patients felt to have resectable recurrent disease who actually have subclinical distant spread.     

Complications experienced in the rehabilitation of zone I flexor tendon injuries with dynamic traction splinting

A retrospective review of all flexor tendon repairs done between January 1985 to June 1987 determined the complication rate with our method of rehabilitation. One hundred sixty-three flexor tendon lacerations in 83 patients were reviewed. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 42 months. All patients participated in the same 12-week rehabilitation protocol. All patients had passive motion exercises of the interphalangeal joints in the first 2 weeks. We believe that passive stretching of zone I injuries during the first 2 weeks contributed to the zone I complication rate. Of the 20 patients with zone I tendon-to-tendon repairs, 7 patients had significant complications. The 35% complication rate found with zone I injuries has prompted us to modify our postoperative rehabilitation protocol in zone I injuries.