Are malignant growths arising from pigmented moles of a carcinomatous or of a sarcomatous nature? : report of two cases (one in a negro) with a study of the histogenesis of pigmented moles / by T. Caspar Gilchrist.

  • Gilchrist, T. Caspar (Thomas Caspar), 1862-1927.
Date:
[1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Are malignant growths arising from pigmented moles of a carcinomatous or of a sarcomatous nature? : report of two cases (one in a negro) with a study of the histogenesis of pigmented moles / by T. Caspar Gilchrist. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    whereas Scheuber’s results are in harmony with those of Unna. The subject is evidently one needing further investigation. The study of the two present cases, together with the histological examination of numerous moles, would seem to justify an expression of opinion of this subject. So far as the records in the literature go but very few cases of this kind have been reported in this country and among them I have been able to find only two instances in negroes, in neither of which was there any microscopical examination. Case I.—The patient was a full-blooded negro, fifty-eight years old, about 5 feet 9 inches in height and married. Family history nega¬ tive. With the exception of the ordinary diseases of childhood the pa¬ tient had always enjoyed exceptionally good health previous to the pres¬ ent disease. About four years ago, while washing, he noticed a small, very black spot on the sole of the right foot, situated about 2 cm. behind the root of the second toe. But little attention was paid to this spot, as it was unaccompanied by any pain, stiffness or difficulty in using the foot. The patient gave a history of accident to the foot three years previous to the appearance of the lesion but there does not appear to have been any connection between the two, as the injury at that time had been to the dorsum of the foot. The pigmented patch grew very slowly in size; it also began to get harder and to be slightly raised. The patient took it for an ordinary corn and as it began to annoy him on account of its position, he cut it with a razor, with the result that a watery fluid oozed out. The lesion now began to grow much more rapid¬ ly and three years ago he consulted Dr. M. D. Brown of this city, who described it (to the writer) as a deeply pigmented patch about the size of a “nickel” (a little less than 2 cm. in diameter), only slightly raised and presenting an appearance of ulceration in the center. After this the growth kept on increasing, but not very rapidly, so that, according to the patient's account, after two years it had reached the size of one of the secondary growths which was found on the abdomen when he came to us and which measured 4x4 cm: All this time he had con¬ tinued at his work as a laborer. The first metastasis was noticed two years after the “corn” first appeared; it was situated on the same leg a little below the knee. Just before the secondary nodule appeared the patient had been operated upon by a local physician, who removed the primary growth, which, however, soon recurred. After the sec¬ ondary growth (eighteen months ago) appeared the patient was again operated upon by Dr. Cole of this city, who removed both the primary and secondary growths, since which time there has been no recurrence