Pityriasis lichenoides chronica presenting with bilateral palmoplantar involvement

Pityriasis lichenoides is an uncommon, acquired, idiopathic, self-limiting skin disease that poses a challenge to patients and clinicians to diagnose and treat. Several variants exist including pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA), pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC), and febrile ulcer-onecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease. Precise classification can be difficult due to an overlap of clinical and histologic features. In this case report we describe a patient with a rare presentation of PLC exhibiting bilateral palmoplantar involvement and mimicking psoriasis. We review the literature and discuss the clinical course, pathogenesis, and current treatment modalities of PLC.

Merkel cell carcinoma: case report

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), also termed cutaneous small cell carcinoma or trabecular carcinoma, is a rare tumor that most often presents as a solitary nodule on the head, neck, or extremities of older adults. It is an aggressive tumor that usually is fatal due to rapid metastasis. Involvement of lymph nodes at presentation can be used to predict survival. Because MCC is sensitive to radiation, it can be used as an adjunct to surgery. We report a case of MCC to alert clinicians of this potentially fatal tumor because early diagnosis and proper treatment may improve patient survival rates.