No abstract

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with a disproportionate amount of cases diagnosed as basal and squamous cell carcinoma. While melanoma accounts for only a small fraction of all skin cancers, it has greater potential for invasion and metastasis if not identified and treated early. Within this higher mortality subtype of skin cancer, there is a rare variant called polypoid melanoma (PM) that compounds the diagnostic hardships of distinguishing melanomas from more benign lesions. This aggressive melanoma has a wide variety of clinical presentations that can range from an amelanotic, sessile papule to a pedunculated, melanotic nodule. Its growth pattern also contributes to the lesion’s ambiguity, generally undergoing a slow development period that can spontaneously transition into rapid growth. This can present challenges for all potential parties involved, including the patient, primary physicians, and dermatologists alike. Such characteristics can act as barriers in clinically determining the urgency of a biopsy, thereby affecting time to diagnosis and prognosis of their patients. We report one such case of protracted diagnosis of polypoid amelanotic melanoma due to a combination of aesthetic ambiguity and lack of patient proactivity.

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. It can remain dormant in a patient without any symptoms until triggered by a stressor on the body. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a significant amount of emotional and psychological stress was endured by patients. In addition, many patients experienced exacerbations of their preexisting conditions. Few reports have described cases of leprosy with concurrent COVID-19. This brief article presents a case of newly diagnosed leprosy in a middle-aged male following a COVID-19 infection. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of its kind in the United States.