Cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases from internal malignancies are rare and indicate a dismal outcome for the patient. This study is designed to analyze cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases from a known or unknown primary and evaluate usefulness of fine needle aspiration cytology as a diagnostic modality. The present study is a retrospective analysis of 83 patients who were diagnosed with metastatic skin deposits on fine needle aspiration cytology. Seventy-four patients were previously diagnosed cases of malignancy and nine patients had metastatic deposits simultaneously with the primary tumor. The commonest malignancies showing cutaneous metastases were from breast, colon and rectum, lung, ovary, and thyroid. The differential diagnoses are from primary cutaneous tumors. FNAC provides a rapid diagnosis and should be used as a preferred first line diagnostic modality in such patients. In our study, FNAC yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 100% as a microscopic method for confirmation.

Primary branchial cleft carcinoma is a diagnostic challenge. The majority of cases have been shown, following the application of rigid criteria, to have developed from an occult metastasis elsewhere.We describe what we believe to be only the second reported case in a patient who fulfils all of the established criteria.

We report a rare case of metastasis of a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid to the sino-nasal cavity 12 years after diagnosis and treatment of the primary malignancy and review the literature of previously reported cases.

BackgroundGlycogen storage disease type Ia is a genetic disorder that is associated with persistent fasting hypoglycemia and the inability to produce endogenous glucose. The development of diabetes with glycogen storage disease is exceedingly rare. The underlying pathogenesis for developing diabetes in these patients is unclear, and there are no guidelines for treatment.Case presentationWe describe a case of a 34-year-old woman of South Asian descent with glycogen storage disease type Ia, who developed uncontrolled diabetes mellitus as a young adult. Hyperglycemia was noted after childbirth, and worsened years later. Treatment for diabetes was difficult due to risks of hypoglycemia from her underlying glycogen storage disease. With minimal hypoglycemic events, the patient’s blood glucose improved with exercise in combination with a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor and an alpha glucosidase inhibitor.ConclusionWe report a rare case of diabetes in the setting of glycogen storage disease-Ia. Based on the literature, there appears to be a relationship between glycogen storage disease and metabolic syndrome, which likely plays a role in the pathogenesis. The management of glycemic control remains a clinical challenge, requiring management of both fasting hypoglycemia from glycogen storage disease, as well as post-prandial hyperglycemia from diabetes mellitus.