Atypical fibroxanthoma/pleomorphic dermal sarcoma 1 What is an atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) and what is it relationship to pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS)? AFX is a malignant neoplasm that occurs chiefly in the elderly, upon sun-damaged skin. These tumors are usually well…
1 What is melanoma? Cutaneous melanoma is a malignant tumor of skin melanocytes. Other, less common sites of melanoma that are not considered “cutaneous” include melanoma of the eye, brain, oral mucosa, nasopharyngeal area, nail bed, and anal area. 2…
1 What are tumors of fibrous tissue? Tumors of fibrous tissue (“soft tissue tumors”) are typically mesenchymal tumors composed of fibroblasts and variants of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts produce the structural components of the dermis, including collagen, elastin, and ground substance (dermal…
1 What skin changes are associated with renal disease? Renal disease can manifest in the skin in three ways: Skin changes that associated with renal failure Systemic diseases with renal and cutaneous manifestations (e.g., Henoch-Schönlein purpura) Diseases affecting the kidney…
1 List some of the hallmark skin signs seen with diseases of the digestive tract Cirrhosis: Jaundice, ascites, purpura, spider angiomas Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS): Lip lentigines Inflammatory bowel disease: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) Gardner syndrome: Osteomas, epidermoid cysts Many diseases of…
1 How does endocrinologic disease cause skin disorders? Endocrinologic disease can produce cutaneous changes in several different ways: Hormones interact with cell surface receptors to regulate cellular function, and many cell types in skin have such hormone receptors. This means…
1 Discuss the skin changes of lupus erythematosus Skin changes occur in about 855 of patients with lupus erythematosus (LE) and in this condition are second in frequency only to musculoskeletal complaints. Skin eruptions in LE may be categorized based…
1 What is “photosensitivity”? Photosensitivity is defined as development or exacerbation of a skin eruption and/or skin symptoms (such as pruritus or pain) after exposure to light (particularly to sunlight, but possibly due to an artificial light source of similar…
1 How do lichenoid eruptions differ from other papulosquamous conditions? Lichenoid skin eruptions are a subcategory of papulosquamous skin disease. While most papulosquamous eruptions present with scaling papules, lichenoid eruptions differ in that the scale is often subtle, and the…
1 What is the difference between a vesicle and a bulla? Size. If a blister is less than 5 mm in diameter, it is referred to as a vesicle. If a blister is 5 mm or larger, it is called…