O hamartoma angiomatoso écrino é neoplasia benigna rara, caracterizada pela proliferação hamartomatosa das glândulas sudoríparas écrinas e dos pequenos vasos sangüíneos. Descrevem-se as características clinicopatológicas e ultra-sonográficas de um nódulo azulado na polpa digital da mão direita, doloroso e produtor de suor, que acometeu uma mulher de 19 anos de idade.

Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma is an unusual neoplasia characterized by hamartomatous proliferation of the portion of the secretory and ductal sudoriparous eccrine gland associated with capillary and other elements. We characterized the clinicopathologic and ultrasonographic study of a bluish nodule in the digital pulp of the right hand of a nineteen-year-old girl. The nodule was painful and associated with sweating.

FUNDAMENTOS: A incidência do melanoma cutâneo tem aumentado cerca de 4 a 6% anualmente. Esse tumor ocorre preferencialmente no sexo feminino, entre 30 e 79 anos de idade e predominantemente em indivíduos de cor branca. A forma anatomopatológica mais freqüente é a extensivo-superficial, e sua localização varia com o sexo. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as características clínicas, epidemiológicas e histológicas do melanoma cutâneo primário, no Hospital Universitário de Brasília, em um período de cinco anos. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo de revisão dos prontuários dos casos de melanoma cutâneo primário, do Hospital Universitário de Brasília, diagnosticados e tratados entre janeiro de 1994 e abril de 1999, totalizando 32 casos. Os pacientes foram analisados, caracterizando-se a distribuição do tumor por sexo, idade, cor da pele, topografia, sintomatologia, tipo de crescimento, nível de Clark, índice de Breslow e presença de metástases. A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatística simples e pelo teste do qui-quadrado (chi2). RESULTADOS: Neste estudo há predomínio das lesões localizadas nos membros, correspondendo a 16 pacientes (50%). Em nove pacientes (45%) a forma primária era do tipo nodular, e 17 pacientes (58,6%) não apresentavam queixas. Pela correlação entre a presença ou não de metástases e o nível de Clark observou-se que os pacientes com nível de invasão até o subcutâneo (Clark V) apresentaram risco relativo de 2,94 (1,24<ic<6,99). CONCLUSÃO: O perfil clínico, epidemiológico e histológico do paciente portador de melanoma cutâneo primário do Hospital Universitário de Brasília entre janeiro de 1994 e abril de 1999 corresponde ao indivíduo do sexo feminino, idoso (de 61 a 80 anos), cor da pele branca, cuja lesão predomina nos membros, sendo mais freqüente o tipo de crescimento nodular e que não apresenta sintomas à época do diagnóstico.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cutaneous melanoma has increased at a rate of approximately 4 to 6% annually. This neoplasm occurs preferably in the female gender, between 30 and 79 years old and among Caucasian persons. The most common histopathological form is the extensive superficial one, and its location varies according to gender. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical, epidemiological and histopathological characteristics of primary cutaneous melanoma, at the University Hospital of Brasília, during a period of five years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A review was conducted of the data registry concerning primary cutaneous melanoma cases, in the University Hospital of Brasília, diagnosed and treated between January 1994 and April 1999, with a total of 32 cases. The patients were analyzed, characterizing the tumor distribution according to gender, age, skin color, topography, symptomatology, histopathological type, Clark level, Breslow index and presence of metastasis. Data was analyzed by simple statistics and by Chi-square (chi2). RESULTS: A predominance was observed of lesions in the limbs, corresponding to sixteen patients (50.0%). There was the primary nodular form in nine (45%) patients, and seventeen (58.6%) patients did not have any complaint. According to the presence or absence of metastasis and Clark level, it was found that the patients with a level of invasion up to the subcutaneous layer (Clark V) presented a relative risk of 2.94 (1.24<CI<6.99). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical, epidemiological and histopathological profile of the patients with primary cutaneous melanoma at the University Hospital of Brasília, between January 1994 and April 1999, comprised of elderly females (from 61 to 80 years old), Caucasians, whose tumor was located predominantly in the limbs, the nodular type was the most frequent, and the patients did not present symptoms at the time of diagnosis.

In the animal model of leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis there is a complex mechanism of the host-parasite interaction. The present study was performed to interfere with the inflammatory reaction to the parasites, through immune modulation. Female C5BL/6 isogenic mice were used, some of which were inoculated on the right ear and others on the right footpad with 3.10(6) stationary phase promastigotes of the MHOM/BR/PH8 strain of L. (L.) amazonensis, and were allocated in three groups: the first received pentoxifylline 8mg/kg every 12 h, since the first day; the second one received the same dose since the 40th day of infection and a control group that did not receive any treatment. All the ears excised were analyzed to determine the variation in weight between both ears and for histopathological analyses. A quantification of the parasites was done using the limiting dilution assay. A significant reduction of the number of parasites, was observed among the animals treated which had an accordingly significant reduction on the weight of the ears. Pentoxifylline reduced the macrophages propensity to vacuolation and induced a more effective destruction of the parasites by these cells. Moreover, the group that began the treatment later did not show the same effectiveness.