[Basal cell carcinoma of unusual site]. / Carcinome basocellulaire de siège inhabituel.

BACKGROUND: Labial mucosa is an atypical site of basal cell carcinoma. The involvement of the vermilion lip, devoid of hair follicles and sweat glands, contrasts with the concept of its origin from pilar structures. We report a case of basal cell carcinoma developed on the vermilion upper lip. CASE REPORT: A 49-year-old woman, presented with an asymptomatic, 1-cm-diameter, erythematous, telangiectatic and crusted nodule on the upper lip evolving for 9 months and having once interested the vermilion border. There were no cervical lymph nodes. Diagnosis of infiltrative basal cell carcinoma was made by histological study, which showed a tumoral proliferation of epithelial basal cells infiltrating the dermis with perineural and muscular infiltration. DISCUSSION: Our report illustrates a rare but not exceptional site of basal cell carcinoma. The nodule, initially confined to the vermilion border, has then developed onto the mucosal and the cutaneous areas. Histopathological study revealed, as previously reported, infiltarative features. Basal cell carcinoma of the lip should be rapidly managed since its invasion to deeper structures occurs early.

[Sweet's syndrome: a propos of 8 cases]. / Le syndrome de Sweet: a propos de 8 cas.

BACKGROUND: Sweet's syndrome is a dermatosis classically determined by painful erythematous plaques or nodules associated with fever, neutrophilia and dense neutrophilic dermal infiltrate. In most cases, Sweet's syndrome may occur in the absence of other diseases. However, it can be associated with an inflammatory disease and essentially with malignant conditions in 20% of cases requiring a careful investigation. AIM: We report herein, the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutive features of a hospital serie. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all the files of patients conforming with the diagnosis of SS, seen at the dermatology departement of Habib Thameur hospital during a 7-year period (from 1997 to 2003). All patients fulfilled at least two major criteria and two minor criteria of Su et Liu's diagnostic criteria modified by Von Den Driesch. RESULTS: 8 cases of .Sweet's syndrome were diagnosed. All patients were females. The mean age was 51.62 years. The lesions occurred on the upper limbs in 7/8 cases. SS was isolated in 6 cases and para-inflammatory in one case corresponding to an associated Sjogren's syndrome. Besides the standard therapy using oral corticosteroids (3 patients), non steroidal inflammatory agents has been efficient in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: In our serie, we report an exclusive female involvement and a lower frequency of associated diseases compared with the relevant literature. Association of SS and Sjogren's syndrome is exceptional. To our knowledge, only 6 cases have already been reported.