Cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with lung and anal carcinomas

Cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare disorder characterized by a benign proliferation of mature plasma cells that appears as multiple dark-brown to purplish skin lesions, often associated with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia. We present the case of a 55-year-old Caucasian man who suffered from a cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with two different carcinomas. Cutaneous plasmacytosis seems to be a reactive process because most cases reported are not associated with any apparent underlying disease. Nevertheless, because few reported cases were associated with malignancies, screening of additional neoplasms would be justified.     

LONG‐TERM FOLLOW UP OF PATIENTS WITH SMALL GASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL TUMORS IN THE STOMACH USING ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY‐GUIDED FINE‐NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are one of the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. GIST are defined by positive immunohistochemical staining for KIT or CD34 and thus are generally diagnosed after surgery. Because small GIST are rarely diagnosed before surgery, the clinical course of these small tumors is not clear. The aim of the present study was to follow changes in size and configuration of small GIST that were pathologically confirmed using endoscopic ultrasonography‐guided fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (EUS‐FNAB). Methods: Between July 1997 and December 2003, 16 tumors in 16 patients (10 men and 6 women) with an immunohistochemical diagnosis of GIST were regularly followed in our hospital. The median patient age when EUS‐FNAB was performed was 62 years (range 26–82 years) and the median follow‐up period was 4.9 years (range 0.5–9.6 years). Results: Fourteen tumors showed no remarkable changes in size and shape during follow up compared with the initial diagnosis. Two tumors enlarged: one tumor approximately doubled its diameter in 8 years and the other tumor increased from 1.8 cm at diagnosis to up to 10 cm after only 2 years. Doubling time of the latter tumor was calculated as 3.1 months. Conclusions: We conclude that EUS‐FNAB might be a good modality for final diagnosis of GIST without surgery, and that GIST without rapid growth on follow up can be endoscopically followed.     

2型糖尿病患者脂蛋白（a）水平、载脂蛋白（a）多态性和冠状动脉粥样硬化严重程度的关系

背景:针对糖尿病患者Lp(a)水平和冠状动脉疾病(CAD)严重程度之间关系的研究较少并且结论有争议。另外,目前尚无关于apo(a)多态性与上述疾病关系的研究。本研究旨在探讨大样本2型糖尿病患者中冠状动脉粥样硬化的程度与Lp(a)水平及apo(a)多态性的相关性。方法:连续选取227例2型糖