Cutaneous angiosarcoma of the knee: a case report and review of the literature.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma is a rare, malignant, vascular tumor that usually occurs in the scalp and face region of elderly white men. The tumor also can involve areas of prior irradiation; chronic lymphedema, otherwise known as Stewart-Treves syndrome; and preexisting vascular lesions. We report an unusual case of angiosarcoma occurring on the knee of a 70-year-old white woman with a strong family history of malignant melanoma in the absence of any known predisposing features.

Erythromelalgia of the ears: an unusual variant and response to therapy.

Erythromelalgia is characterized by episodes of erythematous, warm, burning acral skin, which is exacerbated by heat and relieved by cold. Erythromelalgia usually affects the feet and/or hands but, although rare, erythromelalgia may affect the ears. The authors present a 65-year-old woman with erythromelalgia of the ears with disabling symptoms whose diagnosis was delayed for 6 years. The patient failed to respond to numerous therapies before rapidly improving with oral amitriptyline and amitriptyline 1% to 2% and ketamine 0.5% to 1% topical gel.

Circumscribed acral hypokeratosis.

BACKGROUND: Circumscribed acral hypokeratosis (CAH) is an idiopathic condition that typically presents as an acquired, solitary, asymptomatic, well-defined, depressed, flat-based deformity, with a slightly raised border on the palm or, rarely, the sole. Histologically, the lesional epidermis is depressed with a characteristic, abrupt, hyperkeratotic, slightly-raised ridge at the transition from normal skin. OBJECTIVE: We sought to present 3 additional cases of CAH. METHODS: A review of 3 cases of CAH was performed. Liquid phase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted to evaluate for human papillomavirus (HPV). RESULTS: Three cases of CAH were reviewed. One patient had a history of a burn at the site prior to developing the disorder while another patient, as a child, had a history of verruca plantaris in the same location. Lesions were solitary, involving the palm or sole, in 2 cases and in one case they were multiple involving both the palms and the soles. HPV testing detected HPV type 6 in the lesion of one patient who previously was treated for warts in the same location. Topical fluorouracil, calcipotriol ointment under occlusion, and clobetasol ointment under occlusion were unsuccessful in one patient. LIMITATIONS: In case 2, we were pathology consultants and unable to evaluate the clinical appearance of the lesion. CONCLUSIONS: CAH may involve palms and/or soles. Lesions may be solitary or multiple, and vary widely in size. We believe that CAH most likely represents a reaction pattern developing in response to various stimuli, including trauma, HPV, or both.