Syphilis is characterized by a wide range of variable clinical symptoms; therefore, it is often referred to as “The Great Imitator”. Here, we report the case of a 69-year-old hepatitis-C-positive MSM patient, who was admitted to our clinic due to a solitary firm painless erythematous maculopapular lesion with a central crater-like crust on the upper right thigh that occurred two months prior. The dermoscopy showed an erythematous, copper-colored, oval lesion with diffuse monomorphic dotted and glomerular vessels, central crust, and circular scaling (Biett’s sign). The histological findings ruled out neoplasia and described a plasma cell infiltrate and endothelial swelling. Finally, the combination of the dermoscopic image, histological findings and the additionally acquired knowledge about the sexual history of the patient at the second visit led to the diagnosis, which was then confirmed with serological tests. Dermoscopy may become a supportive tool to facilitate the recognition of secondary syphilis; however, the reporting of these atypical cases is crucial to highlight the many faces of the disease so that clinicians consider syphilis as part of the differential diagnosis of non-specific lesions.

Background: Metastases from endometrial carcinoma to the lungs are uncommon and cavitating metastases are even rarer. In some cases, lung cavitating metastases may resemble diffuse “Cheerios in the lung.” Case presentation: A 58-year-old woman, smoker, with a history of hysteroannessiectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for a low stage endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma, came under our attention for dry cough without fever that persisted for over three months, and computed tomography (CT) revealed diffuse cavitating lung metastases resembling "Cheerios in the lung". After standard chemotherapy proved ineffective, Lenvatinib plus Pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) was administrated, leading to the disappearance of all lung nodules, leaving behind a diffuse emphysematous-like pattern. Conclusions: This case is a rare example of metastatic endometrioid adenocarcinoma, manifested with chronic dry cough, with “Cheerios in the lung” appearence. The metastases responded well to immunotherapy, resulting in the regression of nodules into areas of diffuse emphysematous-like changes.

The finding of lymphadenopathy is usually the consequence of a benign infection, although a neoplastic origin must always be excluded. Through a careful anamnesis, physical examination, and serological tests several differential diagnoses are frequently possible. Nevertheless, sometimes an excisional biopsy of superficial lymph nodes is required, which is the best means to reach a definitive diagnosis. More concerns arise when lymphadenopathy is only abdominal/retroperitoneal: percutaneous biopsy is often inconclusive and the excisional node biopsy becomes a surgical procedure, certainly indicated in case of malignancy but avoidable in case of inflammatory diseases. We present the case of a 30-year-old man with a deep iliac lymphadenopathy who was evaluated at the Hematological Unit of Sapienza University of Rome. The enlargement of an iliac lymph node is quite unusual for an infectious disease. Although symptoms such as pain, fever, and chills suggested it was the case, cat-scratch disease was not hypothesized. Radiological investigations did not exclude a malignant disease and a laparoscopic excisional biopsy was scheduled, but the slight improvement of his spontaneous symptoms suggested a careful follow-up. Given the lack of disappearance of lymphadenopathy, the lack of diagnosis, and an ipsilateral superficial (inguinal) lymph node with similar ultrasonographic and radiological features, the patient underwent biopsy, which disclosed a diagnosis of cat-scratch disease, avoiding more invasive surgical procedures.