Abstract Micronodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) may be more difficult to eradicate and prone to recurrence than nodular subtype. The aim of the study was to compare anatomical and histological characteristics of the basal cell carcinomas subtypes and the relationship of the micronodular BCC with other subtypes. Primary BCCs (n = 3074) were classified as superficial, nodular, micronodular, morpheic/infiltrative. The location was head/neck, limbs, chest/abdomen, back or genitals. Fifty-one micronodular BCCs were matched randomly with nodular and infiltrative cases, by age, sex, and tumor site. A modified Clark level was used to classify the tumor depth. Micronodular, nodular and infiltrative BCC were prevalently located in the head/neck (P < 0.0001), while superficial in the other regions (P < 0.0001). The Clark level was comparable between micronodular and infiltrative BCC, while nodular BCC showed a more superficial level than micronodular (P < 0.001) and infiltrative (P < 0.001) BCC. No nodular BCC had level IV and only 37.3% level III, while 92% of both micronodular and infiltrative BCC were level III or IV. The percentage of level IV was 11.8% and 25.5% in micronodular and infiltrative BCC, respectively. In the mid-face/periauricular region, 95.5% of micronodular and 100% of infiltrative cases of were level III or IV, compared to 50% of nodular BCC (P < 0.001). The Clark level of nodular subtype was higher for BCC of mid-face/periauricular than other regions (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that micronodular BCC shows intermediate characteristics compared with nodular and infiltrative subtypes but appears to have a specific individuality making it a distinct subtype.

We examined, retrospectively, 239 patients (113 adults and 126 children) with LS, referred to our department from 1980 up to 2001. Clinical parameters evaluated were age, sex, LS variant, extracutaneous manifestations, duration of disease and follow-up. We also considered laboratory findings, most notably erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood eosinophilia, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and various circulating autoantibodies. Plaque morphea was the most common form in both groups (74 adults and 61 children). In contrast, linear scleroderma affected children much more frequently than adults (22 children vs 7 adults). When the limbs were involved, this variant could lead to severe orthopedic complications (10 children vs one adult patient). On the other hand, linear scleroderma of the scalp and face comprising scleroderma en coup de sabre and Parry-Romberg syndrome was also more frequent in children (14 children vs 5 adults) causing ocular (8 cases), oral (7 cases) and neurologic (8 cases) abnormalities. Typical of childhood were mixed forms (18 pediatric patients), characterized by combination of different LS variants, which usually followed a more protracted and complicated course and showed ANA positivity (11 cases). Among adults, Raynaud's phenomenon was found in 8 patients; interestingly, anticentromere antibodies were detected in 4 of these subjects, identifying a subset at risk for progression to systemic disease. Children and adults developed LS with analogous clinical and immunological features. However, the prevalence of LS variants differed between adult and pediatric populations, leading to different extracutaneous complications.

Background: A total of 620 healthy term neonates, randomly selected among babies born at the San Paolo Hospital in Milan (Italy), were examined to study the relationship between birthmarks and transient cutaneous lesions in newborns of different ethnic groups. Methods: Information on sociodemographic factors and on physiopathological variables of the pregnancy was collected. Multiple logistic analyses were performed to assess associations between diagnosed skin lesions and various factors. Odds ratios (OR) as a measure of association and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Results: A positive association was found between reduced hypoderm and pregnancy illness (OR = 2.78), hypertrophy genitalia and use of drugs (OR = 1.86) and illnesses in pregnancy (OR = 1.61). Hyperpigmentation in the genital area and Mongolian spot showed significant positive association with geographical area of origin, being systematically more frequent in non-European neonates, while for melanocytic congenital nevi a positive association was observed only for Asiatic newborns (OR = 4.67); salmon patch on the nape showed a significant OR of 1.81 among mothers aged >/=35. Conclusions: Significant associations between some sociodemographic factors and cutaneous lesions of the newborn and anamnestic data related to the pregnancy were found. Dermatologic conditions are common in the newborns and may justify dermatologic examination. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

We report a case of a 3-month-old female baby showing clinical and hematological signs compatible with Kawasaki disease. A few days after the beginning of the specific therapy, the young patient developed asymptomatic erythematous plaques appearing on the trunk. The histology disclosed a psoriasic pattern. To the best of our knowledge, we describe the youngest baby in the published work developing a psoriasis during the course of Kawasaki disease.

The authors describe the case of a 64-year old man who presented with an asymptomatic brown macula on his glans penis that had appeared about 18 months earlier. Dermoscopy analysis demonstrated a prominent, wide and irregular pigment network, which stopped abruptly at the periphery of the lesion. A diagnostic biopsy showed the characteristics of a melanoma in situ .The patient was referred for partial surgical excision of the glans. No recurrence or metastasis occurred during the two years after the operation. Melanoma in situ of the penis is very rare in dermatologic literature. Early diagnosis is of paramount importance because its prognosis is very poor. Early systematic use of dermoscopy may be useful for the differential diagnosis of pigmented mucosal lesions, which include mucosal melanosis and other benign melanoses of genitalia.