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A further case of glucagonoma is reported, unusual features being the prolonged duration of cutaneous manifestations (12 years), and the absence of diabetes. Possible explanations for this anomaly: compensatory insulin or somatostatin secretion, production of a non functional glucagon, or low levels of circulating glucagon, are envisaged but without a formal response.

Two severe cases of virus A influenza with splenomegaly are reported. An underlying hematological disorder was suspected in both cases but the diagnosis could not be confirmed during the acute infectious episodes. The exact diagnosis was made two years later in the first case and seven years later in the second case. Both patients lead normal lives seven years later. The authors emphasise the similarity between the two cases with severe influenza at a very early stage of the disease when there were no changes in the blood count to explain the immune deficit.

The authors describes four cases of lupus erythematosus (LE) diagnosed during the course of a medication toxicodermia, which was always acute and variable in its severity (in one case it concerned a Lyell's syndrome). The lupus affection was made evident by the toxicodermia and lupic manifestations may regress spontaneously after recovery from the skin disorder. This emphasizes the value of clinical and biological testing for the presence of LE in severe cases of toxicodermia in women, more particularly immunofluorescent studies of the basal structures in the cutaneous lesions.

We report the case of a 51 years old woman with myositis, myasthenia gravis and thymoma. First apparent sign is myositis in 1976 but chest X ray show a mediastinal opacity and the patient reports an intermittent diplopia since 1973. The evolution of myositis occurs in two bouts in 1976 and 1981, Myasthenia gravis restricted to diplopia from 1973 to 1979 grow worse first alone then in association with increase of myositis signs in 1981. The mediastinal opacity seen on chest X ray in 1976 don't change and is revealed to be a thymoma at operation in 1981. After thymoma ablation myasthenic and myositis signs decrease. This pathologic association is found 24 times in literature and involves "giant cells" in muscle biopsy in about 50 p. 100 of cases and a myocarditis also with "giant cells". Those "giant cells" unusual in common myositis appears to have a prognostic value.

The authors report a case of Kaposi's sarcome (K.S.) characterized by the small degree of cutaneous involvement as opposed to splenic and lymphatic invasion, lymphoplasmocytic infiltration of the bone marrow, and opportunistic infections (toxoplasmosis, and cryptococcosis). The rapid mortal outcome and the anatomoclinical characteristics of the K.S. enable this case to be classified as one of the rare types of malignant K.S. with pseudo-cryptoccosis features.

The authors report a case of neuro-endocrine sarcoidosis, associating panhypopituitarism , diabetes insipidus, and involvement of the optic chiasma with behavioural changes, chronic meningitis and a diffuse pyramidal syndrome. The diagnosis was suggested by the presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and confirmed during a surgical procedure to conserve the optic nerves. The clinical course on corticosteroids was unfavourable because of iatrogenic cushing' syndrome and steroid dependence . It was not possible to withdraw steroids, even with the use of immunosuppressors (Methotrexate).

Castelman described as angiofollicular hyperplasia (AFH) a benign lymphovascular hyperplasia forming a single tumour, classically situated in the mediastinum. A multifocal lymph node form of AFH was individualised by Leibetseder and Turner about 10 years ago (MAFH). This is a rare syndrome, the clinical and biological characteristics of which are almost identical to angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AIL). The only difference is in the histology of the ganglia which shows changes of AFH. We report two cases of MAFH. In one patient with histological confirmation of splenic involvement the evolution was subacute. In the second case, the histological features of the lesions were observed to change during successive biopsies: appearances of AFH changed to typical AIL. This observation suggests that MAFH may be a disorder of the immune system. Usually considered as benign lymphatic hyperplasia with a chronic evolution, the long-term development of lymphoma poses the problem of the evolutionary potential of this condition, which may be likened to AIL in which lymphomatous transformation is also recognised.