Publications by authors named "Kreuter A"

Objectives: Little is known on the mechanisms necessary to maintain the physiological adult human skin integrity. This study aims to quantitatively describe anatomical changes in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-skin compared to controls and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Skin morphology was histologically assessed in twenty-three SSc-patients, eighteen controls and fifteen patients with hypertrophic scars.

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Background: Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized melanoma treatment, but the high number of non-responders still emphasizes the need for improvement of therapy. One potential avenue for enhancing anti-tumor treatment is through the modulation of coagulation and platelet activity. Both have been found to play an important role in the tumor microenvironment, tumor growth and metastasis.

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  • The study analyzes the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on inpatient dermatosurgical care across nine German clinics over three years (2019-2021).
  • A total reduction in dermatosurgical cases was observed, with a 14.5% drop in 2020 and an 8.5% drop in 2021 compared to 2019, particularly affecting surgeries for melanoma and benign lesions.
  • The findings highlight that while there was a significant decline in 2020, the number of inpatient cases began to stabilize in 2021, indicating ongoing demand for inpatient treatment despite challenges from the pandemic.
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  • Researchers studied patients with advanced skin cancer (melanoma) to see how well they responded to a special treatment called immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI).
  • They found that only about 8% of patients responded quickly to the treatment, while others had slower responses or did not respond at all.
  • Despite the quick responders showing some improvement, they didn’t live longer or have better outcomes than those who responded later to the treatment.
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Mycosis fungoides (MF) is defined as the most common cutaneous T‑cell lymphoma (CTCL). The bullous form is considered one of its numerous variants. Only a few cases of this rare entity have been described.

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Background: Melanomas lacking mutations in BRAF, NRAS and NF1 are frequently referred to as "triple wild-type" (tWT) melanomas. They constitute 5-10 % of all melanomas and remain poorly characterized regarding clinical characteristics and response to therapy. This study investigates the largest multicenter collection of tWT-melanomas to date.

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This study investigated whether adjuvant treatments in stage III cutaneous melanoma (CM) influenced patterns of recurrence. Patients with primary (n = 1033) or relapsed CM (n = 350) who received adjuvant therapies with Nivolumab (N), Pembrolizumab (P), or Dabrafenib and Trametinib (D + T) were extracted from the prospective multicenter real-world skin cancer registry ADOReg. Endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), organ-specific DMFS, and overall survival (OS).

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  • Screening for gene mutations in melanoma has become standard practice, with identified mutations impacting prognosis in metastatic uveal melanoma, while their significance in non-uveal melanoma is still unclear.
  • A study analyzing 2,650 melanoma cases found mutations in 129 samples, highlighting differences in the prevalence and types of mutations between uveal and non-uveal melanomas.
  • Unlike uveal melanomas, where mutations are linked to worse outcomes, mutations in non-uveal melanomas are mostly seen as "passenger mutations" with little impact on prognosis or treatment effectiveness.
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Background: The structured expression of several keratins in the skin is associated with differentiation status of the epidermal layers, whereas other keratins are upregulated only during wound healing, in skin disorders and in cancers. One of these stress keratins, K17, is correlated with poor prognosis in various cancer types and its loss has been shown to decelerate tumour growth. K17 expression can also be detected in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, where ultraviolet irradiation and infection with cutaneous human papillomaviruses are important cofactors.

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  • Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a serious autoimmune disease with limited treatment options, and high-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous stem cell transplantation (HD-ASCT) has shown effectiveness, though it comes with substantial risks.
  • A study analyzed 32 SSc patients who underwent HD-ASCT between 2000 and 2020, focusing on their survival rates, treatment-related mortality (TRM), and factors influencing outcomes.
  • The results indicated a median overall survival of 81 months, with 77% responding positively to treatment within a year, though TRM remains a significant issue, highlighting the importance of identifying high-risk patients and considering individual prognostic factors to potentially improve outcomes.
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  • Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a skin condition primarily affecting the anogenital area, causing symptoms like itching, soreness, and potential sexual and urinary dysfunction, with a risk of genital cancer and significant impacts on quality of life.
  • The guideline aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of LS, offering evidence-based recommendations for different therapies and care approaches, especially during pregnancy and follow-up.
  • Topical corticosteroids are the primary treatment for LS in both sexes, with surgery as an option for males if standard treatments fail, while UV light therapy is suggested for non-genital LS, despite limited research.
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  • Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin condition primarily affecting the anogenital area, leading to symptoms like itching, soreness, and potentially serious complications such as urinary and sexual dysfunction, along with an increased risk of genital cancer.
  • *The guideline aims to provide a comprehensive approach for diagnosing and treating LS, including recommendations for topical and surgical treatments, as well as care considerations for patients during pregnancy and ongoing management.
  • *Topical corticosteroids are considered the standard treatment for LS, with additional options like emollients and, if ineffective, surgical interventions such as circumcision for males; UV light therapy is also suggested for non-genital forms of LS despite limited evidence.
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Background: The 2022 mpox outbreak continues, and while progress has been made in prevention strategies and potential treatment options, data on late sequelae following mpox are scarce.

Objective: This analysis aimed to assess the incidence of scar formation in individuals affected by the 2022 mpox outbreak.

Methods: All individuals diagnosed with mpox at the Department of Dermatology at the Medical University of Vienna in 2022 were included in this analysis.

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Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling is a core pathway of fibrosis, but the molecular regulation of the activation of latent TGF-β remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate a crucial role of WNT5A/JNK/ROCK signaling that rapidly coordinates the activation of latent TGF-β in fibrotic diseases. WNT5A was identified as a predominant noncanonical WNT ligand in fibrotic diseases such as systemic sclerosis, sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, stimulating fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and tissue fibrosis by activation of latent TGF-β.

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Localized lymphedema of the genital region is a rare medical condition. It is named primary lymphedema if caused by a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system. Secondary lymphedemas might be induced by exogenous damage to lymphatic vessels as a result of surgical interventions, obesity, filariasis, radiotherapy or malignancy.

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Background: The interleukin (IL)-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) is an essential coreceptor required for signalling through the IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36 receptors. Here, we investigate the antifibrotic potential of the combined inhibition of these cytokines by an anti-IL1RAP antibody to provide a scientific background for clinical development in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: The expression of IL1RAP-associated signalling molecules was determined by data mining of publicly available RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data as well as by imaging mass cytometry.

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Fibrotic diseases impose a major socioeconomic challenge on modern societies and have limited treatment options. Adropin, a peptide hormone encoded by the energy homeostasis-associated () gene, is implicated in metabolism and vascular homeostasis, but its role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis remains enigmatic. Here, we used machine learning approaches in combination with functional in vitro and in vivo experiments to characterize adropin as a potential regulator involved in fibroblast activation and tissue fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

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  • Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is linked to a higher risk of skin cancers such as Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) and pleomorphic sarcoma (PDS) compared to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
  • A study analyzed data from 146 AFX/PDS patients and 438 SCC/BCC controls over a seven-year period, finding that HCTZ use was significantly more common among AFX/PDS patients (44.5% vs. 25.3%).
  • The findings suggest that HCTZ may be a risk factor for developing AFX/PDS, with diabetes mellitus also linked to an increased risk.
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