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Vulvar Paget's Disease Presenting with Fever and Left Inguinal and Peritoneal Lymphadenopathies
Risa Hirata1, Masaki Tago2, Yoshio Hisata1
1Department of General Medicine, Saga University Hospital, Saga City, Saga, Japan.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND Asymptomatic vulvar Paget's disease is rare and commonly presents with vulvar eczema, erosions, or pruritus. The time from onset to diagnosis of vulvar Paget's disease tends to be rather long because of difficulty making a correct diagnosis owing to similar skin findings with eczema or patients' reluctance to undergo physical examination of their pubic area because of embarrassment. CASE REPORT A 55-year-old woman experienced recurrent episodes of fever for 10 months. Her primary care physician indicated inguinal lymphadenopathy 2 months prior to presentation at our hospital. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed multiple intra-abdominal lymphadenopathies. With the failure of finding the primary lesion after biopsy, and with a diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma, she was referred to our hospital. On admission, she did not report having vulvar symptoms. As imaging studies revealed no primary lesions, we subsequently added immunostaining to the lymph node biopsy specimens, which suggested Paget's disease. We finally performed a vulvar physical examination and identified eczema. We performed a skin biopsy and histopathological examinations, which provided the final diagnosis of vulvar Paget's disease. CONCLUSIONS We experienced a case of vulvar Paget's disease presenting with inguinal and intraperitoneal lymphadenopathies, without a patient report of vulvar symptoms. When identifying lymphadenopathies, it is crucial to obtain a careful history and perform appropriate physical examinations, suspecting diseases of the vulva or perineum. In addition, immunostaining of lymph node biopsy specimens could be useful in making a correct diagnosis.
Insights
Asymptomatic vulvar Paget's disease is rare. This case highlights the importance of considering vulvar conditions in patients with unexplained lymphadenopathy, even without typical symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Dermatopathology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Asymptomatic vulvar Paget's disease is a rare condition.
- Diagnosis is often delayed due to non-specific symptoms like eczema or patient embarrassment.
- Paget's disease can mimic other vulvar conditions, complicating early detection.
Observation:
- A 55-year-old woman presented with recurrent fevers and unexplained inguinal and intra-abdominal lymphadenopathies.
- Initial investigations, including biopsies, failed to identify a primary lesion, leading to a metastatic carcinoma diagnosis.
- The patient reported no vulvar symptoms during initial evaluation.
Findings:
- Immunostaining of lymph node biopsy specimens suggested Paget's disease.
- A subsequent vulvar examination revealed eczema, confirmed as vulvar Paget's disease via skin biopsy.
- This case demonstrates vulvar Paget's disease presenting solely with lymphadenopathy.
Implications:
- Clinicians should maintain a high suspicion for vulvar conditions in cases of unexplained lymphadenopathy.
- Thorough history taking and physical examinations, including the vulvar area, are crucial.
- Immunohistochemistry on lymph node biopsies can aid in diagnosing rare presentations of Paget's disease.
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