Mesenteric vasculitis associated with Sézary syndrome

Unusual involvement in mycosis fungoides: Duodenal papilla

BACKGROUND

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a type of T-cell lymphoma with cutaneous involvement. It is a rare disease, of low incidence and usually affects middle-aged men. In most cases only the skin is involved although in advanced stages may present with extra cutaneous involvement including the gastrointestinal tract.

CASE REPORT

We report the first case of MF with compromise of duodenal papilla, emphasizing the diagnostic approach and a brief review of the subject.

DISCUSSION

This case report proves the value of the endoscopic studies in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, because of the impact in the diagnosis and prognosis. Also, this case report is relevant because there is no scientific evidence, as far as we know, of similar cases reported.

Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Vasculitis with Response to Glucocorticoids

This report describes a patient with abdominal pain at presentation, which on angiography was found to be caused by vasculitis limited to the superior mesenteric artery. He was treated with oral glucocorticoids after an initial 5-day course of pulse therapy and obtained excellent relief of symptoms. Steroids were tapered over 8 months. Repeat angiography revealed complete resolution of the vasculitis with a residual aneurysm of a branch of the left gastric artery, which was resected to avoid the risk of rupture. Histologic analysis revealed thickened intima with myxoid degeneration and no evidence of active vasculitis. Extensive laboratory and clinical investigations did not reveal an underlying connective tissue disorder to account for the gastrointestinal vasculitis. This report of an angiographically defined regional vasculitis involving the superior mesenteric artery with complete clinical as well as radiologic resolution on treatment with glucocorticoids alone emphasizes the need to differentiate between an isolated or regional vasculitis, which has an excellent prognosis, to avoid subjecting the patient to cytotoxic therapy with significant toxicities.

Pilotropic mycosis fungoides presenting with multiple cysts, comedones and alopecia

We report a 45-year-old man with mycosis fungoides (MF) who presented with multiple epidermoid cysts, comedones and alopecia and who responded to treatment with intravenous and oral cyclophosphamide. The pilotropic variant of MF, characterized histologically by follicular lesions and pilotropism without mucinosis, is uncommon and often resistant to treatment.

Biliary tract obstruction secondary to mycosis fungoides: a case report

Mycosis fungoides is a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that can disseminate to multiple organs. We report a patient who presented with obstructive jaundice caused by isolated involvement of the extrahepatic biliary tree by mycosis fungoides. Initially, endoscopic examinations and biopsies of the biliary tree and liver failed to reveal a cause for the obstructive symptoms. Finally, surgical resection of the gallbladder and extrahepatic ducts was performed. Examination revealed a dense, mixed lymphocytic infiltrate with atypical cells within the mucosa. Gene rearrangement studies confirmed the presence of a monoclonal T-cell population. The pattern of the gene rearrangement in the biliary tree was identical to that found in a previous skin biopsy that showed mycosis fungoides. Although liver involvement by mycosis fungoides is not uncommon, disease isolated to the extrahepatic biliary tree has not previously been reported. This case should alert clinicians and pathologists to yet another cause of obstructive jaundice.