RESUMO
Two new cases of epitheliomas in leprosy patients are reported. One was of the spinocellular type and the other basocellular, both developing in lepromatous skin. The clinical features of the patients are described. The histologic findings are given, with special reference to the amorphous ground substance, and also to the fibrilar elements. The observations respecting the stroma cells coincide with those of Vilanova and Rubio. In the study of the amorphous ground substance of the dermis, there are described zones which differ with respect to the PAS reaction, which seems to explain the greater or lesser destruction of the collagen. Qualitatively there was not seen any modification in the acid mucopolysaccharides. Assuming thatthe histochemical techniques used are good, the conclusion is reached that only the amorphous ground substance is responsible for positivity to the PAS reaction, and not the fibrillar material.