Cutaneous angiomas in POEMS syndrome. An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study

Arch Dermatol. 1988 May;124(5):695-8.

Abstract

Cutaneous manifestations of POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathies, M-protein, and skin changes) syndrome in a 51-year-old white man included two types of hemangiomas, ie, cherry-type and subcutaneous hemangiomas. By light microscopy and immunohistochemistry, both types of tumors showed features of capillary hemangiomas. By electron microscopy, a peculiar finding of subcutaneous hemangiomas was the presence of slender abluminal processes of endothelial cells that were frequently anastomosing to form electron-lucent blebs. Although the precise etiopathogenesis of the vascular proliferations remains speculative, these lesions merit study since they constitute an easily recognizable marker of POEMS syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Estrogens / blood
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Hemangioma / ultrastructure*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Middle Aged
  • Paraproteinemias / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / ultrastructure*
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • Estrogens