The Fung Shui Nevus

Presented by: Micah Ashkenazi
Root Town, Ohio

The patient is a 19 year-old American-born, Chinese college student living in Ohio.  Her mother brings her in for an office visit regarding a nevus..  The 2 mm in diameter lesion has been present near the bulb of the nose for years with no worrisome changes.

Diagnosis:  Acquired melanocytic nevus.  Possibly a blue nevus.

Discussion:  I reassured the patient's mother that this is a benign lesion and can be safely observed.  The mother only speaks Cantonese.  She and her daughter have a longish conversation in Chinese.  The daughter tells me that her mother believes that moles on this part of the nose have bad fung shui.  In that case, I acquiesced and agreed to remove the mole which can be done with a 3 mm punch.  A shave may leave some residual pigment and that would be unacceptable to them.

The patient and her mother take fung shui seriously and want the lesion removed.  This will be scheduled at a propitious time as decided by their astrologer in Chinatown.

Clearly, this is a cultural issue, not a medical one.  Failure to consider that might have led to a disconnect between the patient, her family and the physician. How many other similar scenarios have I missed over the years?

Reference:
PubMed is strangely silent on Feng Shui; however there are many references on Google.

Face Reading Feng Shui in Chinese Five Arts.  It says, " If there is a mole on the nose, it will be bad luck between 40 to 50 years old."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Single Digit Leuconycia

The patient is a 64 yo school teacher who presents for a white nail.

Anamnesis: "The nail has been white for at least 6 months.  No other fingernails or toenails are white.  I had a ring on that finger that got super tight. I have finally removed the ring.  Sometimes the finger hurts, even now, like it may be arthritic."

O/E:  The nail of the 4th finger of the left hand is uniformly white.  There is no flaking or friability.  Other than the color, the nail plate looks normal. All other finger- and toenails are normal

Photo:

Diagnosis:  Singe Digit Leuconycia.  This does not look like superficial white onycholysis.  At the time I saw the patient, I did not think to do a KOK prep since the nail plate looked so normal.  In retrospect, I think this should be done.

The patient's questions are:

Is there something I can do to get it back to being a normal color?

Will it ever go back on its own to being normal - no longer white?

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

This is the saga of a man whose care poses therapeutic dilemmas.

HPI:  The patient is a 69 yo man with a greater than 40 year history of severe psoriasis.  He was a research subject at a prestigious university hospital for many years.  Over that time, he has received PUVA, methotrexate and an investigational drug, Rapamycin.  He has been treated with NB UVB and acitretin with some improvement.  As a result of his therapies, he has developed numerous squamous cell carcinomas.  These pose therapeutic challenges They are painful, foul smelling and difficult for the patient to care for.  An additional problem is occasionally disabling trigeminal neuralgia.  He has had many well-differentiated SCCs excised over the past decade.  He has atrial fibrillation, Factor 5 deficiency and is on warfarin and a host of cardiac medication.

O/E:  Wide-spread erythema and scale covering entire integument except head and neck.  There is a 3 cm exophytic tumor of the left pre-tibial area and smaller similar tumors on right leg, back and chest.

Clinical Photos (6.6.17)

L. Pretibial

Diagnosis:  Generalized psoriasis, Squamous cell carcinomas

Questions:  Should these lesions be excised? Should we consider  one of the new targeted therapies?  Do any of our members have expertise with them?  This man has a number of co-morbidities which may make therapy more difficult.

References:

Oral therapy for nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with advanced disease and large tumor burden: a review of the literature with focus on a new generation of targeted therapies.

Rudnick EW, Thareja S, Cherpelis B. Int J Dermatol. 2016 Mar;55(3):249-58

Author information

Abstract: This review of the literature aims to describe previous and current treatment options for oral therapy in locally advanced and metastatic NMSC otherwise unamenable to standard treatment. Oral Smoothened (Smo) inhibitors Vismodegib, Sonidegib, and Taladegib have shown to be effective in several trials. Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors Erlotinib and Gefitinib, which target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), have early supporting data and are currently undergoing large multicenter trials. Oral therapy in NMSC is useful in high risk patients with recurrent and aggressive disease who may not tolerate other systemic therapies.

A Woman with Fever, Malaise, Myalgias and Rash

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White Islands in a Sea of Red

Presented by Dr Henry B.B. Foong

from Foong Skin Specialist Clinic

Ipoh, Malaysia

A 45-year-old woman presented with a one-week history of fever and generalised rash. She initially had fever and sore throat and subsequently developed shoulder myalgia.  She saw her general practitioner who prescribed antihistamines and analgesics.  She then developed rashes on the legs.  Thinking this could be a drug eruption, the patient consulted her general practitioner again who did not think this was a cutaneous drug eruption.  Instead, he prescribed amoxicillin/clavulanate, but the rash spread further to her trunk and upper limbs.  The rash was only mildly pruritic.  She had no eye, oral or genital symptoms. There was no history of contact with patients with similar illness.

Physical examination showed stable vital signs with no dehydration. There was generalized confluent erythema distributed mainly on the legs but extending to trunk and upper extremities.  Prominent “islands of white” within the erythema over the lower legs were noted. It did not blanch completely, leaving behind petechiael lesions when pressed.

Clinical Photographs

Lab: Blood tests were positive for Dengue IgG and IgM antibody.

TWBC 5,100 (N38% L 36% M 22% E3% B1%) platelets 71,000 and Hct 38%

Pathology: 2 skin biopsies were taken from the right leg. One from the confluent generalised erythema and another from the white islands. Histopathology is pending

Diagnosis: Exanthem of Dengue Fever

Discussion

Dengue Fever ranks among one of the most important arthropod borne viral infections with high morbidity and mortality in the tropics and subtropics including urban populations. It is caused by Dengue virus, a flavivirus which is transmitted by mosquitos Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.  There are 4 distinct serotypes DENV-1,2,3 and 4. Each episode of infection induces a life-long protective immunity to the homologous serotype but confers only  partial  and  transient  protection  against  other  serotypes.

The cutaneous manifestations of dengue fever are characteristic.  Skin eruptions appear in 80% of patients during the remission of the fever. Approximately one-half of patients develop a centrifugal macular, maculopapular, scarlatiniform, or petechial eruption. The cutaneous eruptions may become confluent, with small, round islands of sparing, the so-called white islands in a sea of red. The rash characteristically starts on the dorsum of the hands and feet and spreads to the arms, legs, and torso; the face is rarely involved. The eruption seen in dengue is usually short-lived, lasting from a few hours to several days.

Reference:

eMedicine:  Dermatologic Manifestations of Dengue.

from eMedicine reference

Atypical Melanocytic Lesions

The patient is an 87 yo man with a history of dysplastic nevi and melanoma-in-situ.  He is seen every four to sic months.  The current exam found a 1.5 cm atypical melanocytic lesion on his left mid back.

Clinical and Dermatoscopic Images

What are your thoughts?

PVLE Variant?

May 12, 2017
The patient is a 75 yo man with a 7 day history of a pruritic papular eruption on his legs.  This began on a recent trip to Florida after sun exposure.  He is on no photosensitizing medications.

O/E:  Erythematous non-blanching papules on both lower extremities.

Clinical Images:

Lab:  CBC, ANA normal

Pathology:  No evidence of vasculitis

Diagnosis:  Could this be an example of Papulo-vesicular Light Eruption?

References:

1.  Papulovesicular light eruption. A defined subset of polymorphous light eruption.

Elpern DJ, Morison WL, Hood AF.  Arch Dermatol. 1985 Oct;121(10):1286-8.

Abstract:  A distinctive photodermatitis is seen commonly in tourists visiting Hawaii. Analysis of 150 cases revealed that the eruption is acute in onset following exposure to sunlight, is confined to exposed areas, and mainly affects young to middle-aged white women. The clinical presentation is remarkably uniform, consisting of papules, papulovesicles, or vesicles. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) and the histologic picture supports this diagnosis. Other clinical variants of PMLE were not seen in our patients, however, which suggests that this condition is more monomorphous than polymorphous. We suggest papulovesicular light eruption as a suitable name for this common and distinctive subset of PMLE. 

2.  Papulovesicular light eruption. A defined subset of polymorphous light eruption.

Elpern DJ, Morison WL, Hood AF. Arch Dermatol. 1985 Oct;121(10):1286-8.

Abstract: A distinctive photodermatitis is seen commonly in tourists visiting Hawaii. Analysis of 150 cases revealed that the eruption is acute in onset following exposure to sunlight, is confined to exposed areas, and mainly affects young to middle-aged white women. The clinical presentation is remarkably uniform, consisting of papules, papulovesicles, or vesicles. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) and the histologic picture supports this diagnosis. Other clinical variants of PMLE were not seen in our patients, however, which suggests that this condition is more monomorphous than polymorphous. We suggest papulovesicular light eruption as a suitable name for this common and distinctive subset of PMLE.

A Case for Diagnosis

The patient is a 58 yo woman with asymptomatic lesions under breasts, in the axillae and groin.  She is on no medications,  She has breast cancer seven years ago treated with lumpectomy and chemotherapy (no radiation) and has been off therapy for 6 years.

O/E:  slightly hyperpigmented macules in affected areas.  KOH negative.

Clinical Photos:

Left axilla

Pathology:  2 representative punch biopsies were taken. 

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Report: Focal basal layer vacuolization, a mild superficial perivascular and focally band-like lymphocytic infiltrate with rare eosinophils, papillary dermal fibrosis, numerous melanophages, and telangiectasia, consistent with a lichenoid interface dermatitis with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

NOTE: The differential diagnosis could include lichen planus (possibly lichen planus pigmentosus) or a lichenoid drug eruption.

Diagnosis: Lichen Planus Variant.  Is this annular atrophic lichen planus?

Reference:
Annular atrophic lichen planus.

Morales-Callaghan A Jr1, et. al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005 May;52(5):906-8.

Abstract: We describe a new case of annular atrophic lichen planus. Annular atrophic lichen planus is a rare variant of lichen planus that is clinically characterized by violaceous plaques of annular morphology with central atrophy and histopathologic findings of annular and atrophic lichen planus, respectively. There have been 4 cases of this entity reported previously.

Recessive X-Linked Ichthyosis

The patient is a 65-year-old engineer who presents for evaluation of skin lesions.  He grew up in a Southern state and during high school and college worked summers doing roadwork.  He wants a screening for skin cancer. The patient has had a B-cell lymphoma 3-4 years ago. 

He has had a form of ichthyosis since about age 2.  Other family members are affected.  They are all on his mother’s side.  His mother’s brother and some male maternal cousins are similarly affected. He always felt like an outsider in his school, and was bullied in grade and high school because of this scaly skin.  This has informed his self-image as an adult.

EXAMINATION:  A complete skin examination was done. He has scaly polygonal, somewhat “dirty-appearing” plaques on the legs, torso, and arms.  He has normal palms.  Head and neck are normal.  He has no lesions that are worrisome for melanoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer, or actinic keratoses. 

Clinical Images:  

Polygonal Scale

Normal Palm in X-Linked Ichthyosis

IMPRESSION:  Recessiive X-linked ichthyosis.

PLAN:  We discussed his ichthyosis.  One can get free Aquaphor from the drug company and we will order some for him. 

I will run his case by some pediatric dermatology colleagues.  I do not know whether any further testing is needed for a 65-year-old man who is not going to have any children.  

Corneal opacities are relatively common in these patients and may be evident with slit-lamp examination both of adult males who are affected and of women who are carriers. Cryptorchidism has been reported in 20% of patients. A few cases of testicular cancer have developed in patients with X-linked ichthyosis and cryptorchidism.

Reference:
FIRST: The Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types is a great resource for patients and providers.  See FIRST’s page on Recessive X-Linked Ichthyosis.