Cutaneous tissue samples show significant shrinkage during histopathological work-up: a real-world study.

Background: Excision and histological examination of cutaneous neoplasms are very common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in dermatological practice. There are often discrepancies between tissue seize in vivo and after histopathological work-up. This may raise questions according to tumor sizes or safety margins.

[Improvement in the Quality of the OP Surgery Checklist by Optimisation of Content and Structural, as well as Measures to Promote Compliance].

Background: Complications occur in 3 to 16% of surgical procedures. According to experts, about 50% of these adverse events are avoidable. It is empirically proven that mortality and complication rates can be reduced by introducing checklists.

[Systemic treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus].

The treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) remains a therapeutic challenge. In many cases, systemic treatment of the disease is necessary, especially in cases resistant to topical treatment or with internal organ involvement. Even though many different agents can be employed in this situation, most are not approved in Germany for the treatment of CLE.

The role of cytotoxic skin-homing CD8+ lymphocytes in cutaneous cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma and pityriasis lichenoides.

Background: Pityriasis lichenoides (PL) is a rare cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown origin. Malignant transitions of PL have been described, but are very rare. We recently observed the fatal course of a 26-year-old patient who presented with a clinical picture resembling PL but had cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell lymphoma of the skin (CxCTL).

Type I interferon-associated recruitment of cytotoxic lymphocytes: a common mechanism in regressive melanocytic lesions.

We studied 253 primary melanomas of the skin for histologic signs of regression. Detailed immunohistologic analyses, including expression of MxA (an antiviral protein specifically induced by type I interferons), the chemokine IP10/CXCL10, the chemokine receptor CXCR3, and the cytotoxic molecule granzyme B, were performed for 14 typical regressive tumors and 20 control samples (congenital nevi, halo nevi, unaffected skin). We found high expression of MxA, indicating local type I interferon production, in inflamed regressive melanocytic lesions, along with large numbers of natural interferon-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells, CXCR3+ lymphocytes, and granzyme B+ lymphocytes.

Enhanced type I interferon signaling and recruitment of chemokine receptor CXCR3-expressing lymphocytes into the skin following treatment with the TLR7-agonist imiquimod.

Introduction: Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immune response modifier approved for the topical treatment of external genital and perianal warts which can mediate regression of several cutaneous malignancies [basal cell carcinoma (BCC), Bowen's disease, actinic keratosis, and metastasis of malignant melanoma]. Recently, it was discovered that imiquimod acts through the toll-like receptor (TLR) 7. We hypothesize that TLR7-signaling strongly induces the production of interferon (IFN) alpha, which is able to enhance Th1-mediated cellular antiviral and antitumor immunity.

Bullous lupus erythematosus in a patient with pre-existing dermatomyositis.

The group of autoimmune cutaneous connective tissue diseases (CCTD) includes systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis (DM), lupus erythematosus (LE), and subtypes. Most CCTD patients can be assigned to one of these phenotypes or mixed forms, and transitions among the subsets exist. We present the case of a 26-year-old woman with bullous LE and a background of pre-existing DM.

Topical treatment of pyoderma gangraenosum.

The treatment of pyoderma gangraenosum (PG) is still a therapeutic challenge. Although several drugs such as corticosteroids, dapsone, clofazimine, azathioprine, tacrolimus and cyclosporine A have been shown to be effective in this disease, side-effects of these agents limit their systemic use in seriously ill patients. In recent years, topical treatment of the disease has gained attention.

Successful treatment of Dowling-Degos disease with Er:YAG laser.

Background: Dowling-Degos disease is a rare condition with a genetically determined disturbance of epidermal proliferation. The typical clinical picture is a reticulate pigmentation of the flexures, genital folds, and pectoral skin areas. Many different treatment options have been tried in recent years without a convincing therapeutic benefit.