Publications by authors named "Maria T Fernandez-Figueras"

Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzes skin biopsies from 6 men aged 62 to 83, all diagnosed with UBA1 mutation linked to a rare inflammatory syndrome.
  • Among the 12 biopsies, common histopathologic findings include various forms of neutrophilic dermatosis, vasculitis, and panniculitis, indicating significant skin involvement across all patients.
  • The findings show that while certain patterns are frequent, there is considerable diversity and nonspecificity in the histopathology of the biopsies, even among samples from the same individual.
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Tumour budding (TB) correlates with increased local invasion in various neoplasms. Certain basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) exhibit local aggressiveness. Detecting adverse prognostic factors in partial biopsies could aid in identifying cases with heightened local risk.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This article is the second part of a series focused on the histopathological features and differential diagnoses of cystic and pseudocystic structures found in skin biopsies.
  • - It specifically discusses various types of cysts, including ciliated cutaneous cysts, branchial cysts, Bartholin's cysts, thymic cysts, and more.
  • - Additionally, the article covers related structures like mucoceles, ganglion cysts, and myxoid pseudocysts found in the ear and fingers.
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Cystic structures represent one of the most common findings in dermatopathology. These encompass both cystic tumors and pseudocysts resulting from the accumulation of certain substances, such as mucin. In a two-part series (of which this is the first part), we have reviewed the principal types of cysts and pseudocysts that may be observed in cutaneous biopsies, examining their histopathological features and primary differential diagnoses.

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Gastric metaplasia in colonic mucosa with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) develops as an adaptation mechanism. The association between gastric metaplasia and nonconventional and/or conventional dysplasia as precursors of colitis-associated colorectal cancer is unknown. To address this question, we retrospectively reviewed a series of 33 IBD colectomies to identify gastric metaplasia in 76 precursor lesions.

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Invisible dermatosis is a concept that can be applied either to clinical or histopathological findings. We will focus on the dermatopathological aspect of this invisible dermatosis that can be seen as dermatosis with subtle histopathological findings that are mandatory to known to stablish the diagnosis. With a proper approach facing in depth the different skin layers from stratum corneum to subcutaneous tissue combined with some especial stains, special investigations and mostly a proper clinicopathological correlation, the problem of missing out a diagnosis can be decreased.

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Article Synopsis
  • VEXAS syndrome is an adult-onset autoinflammatory disease caused by postzygotic genetic variants, affecting males with symptoms like skin lesions, fever, and arthritis at a mean age of 67.5 years.
  • In a study of 42 patients, 30 were identified with pathogenic genetic variants and showed varying degrees of glucocorticoid dependence for symptom management.
  • The research revealed that these variants were present in both blood and non-blood tissues, challenging the previous understanding that these genetic changes were limited to myeloid (blood) cells.
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Background: Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare form of panniculitis generally associated with acute or chronic pancreatitis, and less frequently with pancreatic carcinoma. Clinically, it presents with subcutaneous nodules usually located in the lower extremities, however, it presents an almost pathognomonic histopathological finding with enzymatic fat necrosis in the adipose tissue.

Methods: In this retrospective case series of five hospitals, biopsy specimens of cutaneous lesions of pancreatic panniculitis were reviewed.

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  • Xanthelasma palpebrarum is the most common type of skin xanthomas, which are yellowish bumps that can appear on the eyelids.
  • Xanthosiderohistiocytosis is a rare form of xanthoma, with only a few documented cases (four to date).
  • The case discussed involves a man with dark pigmented lesions on his eyelids, possibly linked to either hemosiderotic xanthelasmas or a localized type of xanthosiderohistiocytosis.
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Colitis-associated colorectal carcinoma (CAC) occurs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because of the "chronic inflammation-dysplasia-cancer" carcinogenesis pathway characterized by p53 alterations in the early stages. Recently, gastric metaplasia (GM) has been described as the initial event of the serrated colorectal cancer (CRC) process, resulting from chronic stress on the colon mucosa. The aim of the study is to characterize CAC analyzing p53 alterations and microsatellite instability (MSI) to explore their relationship with GM using a series of CRC and the adjacent intestinal mucosa.

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  • Antitumor necrosis factor therapies, like adalimumab biosimilars, can lead to various skin reactions in patients.
  • A patient receiving this treatment for punctate inner choroidopathy developed skin eruptions in sun-exposed areas.
  • The skin lesions exhibited characteristics of Sweet-like neutrophilic dermatosis and signs of possible autoimmune involvement.
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The therapeutic value of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in thin melanoma remains controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the role of SLNB in the survival of thin melanomas (≤1 mm). A multicenter retrospective observational study was designed.

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Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a malignant skin cancer with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 50%. Knowledge of MCC has increased in recent years mostly due to improved diagnosis techniques. In Spain there is lack of information regarding the incidence and tumour characteristics, and the treatment approaches are not standardised.

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  • Reactions to tattoos can mimic skin conditions or tumors, making histopathological analysis essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment direction.
  • The study analyzed biopsies from 1992 to 2019 from several hospitals in Spain and Switzerland, focusing on different types of tattoos and their associated reactions.
  • Out of 477 biopsies, 230 met the criteria for inclusion, with the findings indicating a range of inflammatory responses and various age groups affected, highlighting the importance of understanding tattoo reactions in clinical practice.
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  • * OSF starts with symptoms that can resemble oral lichen planus but progresses to thicker, leathery mucosa and fibrous bands if the habit continues, leading to significant health issues.
  • * The condition has specific microscopic features, but its diagnosis can be challenging due to the unusual presence of lichenoid changes; recognizing these signs is crucial to encourage individuals to stop chewing quid.
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Adenoma of the nipple is a very uncommon benign neoplasm of lactiferous ducts. Its clinical presentation is variable and it can be easily misdiagnosed as a malignancy such as mammary Paget disease or breast intraductal carcinoma. Although dermoscopy and imaging tests such as ultrasonography or mammography can be of help, histological examination is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis.

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Microcalcifications are detected through mammography screening and, depending on their morphology and distribution (BI-RADS classification), they can be considered one of the first indicators of suspicious cancer lesions. However, the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) calcifications and their relationship with malignancy remains unknown. In this work, we report the most detailed three-dimensional biochemical analysis of breast cancer microcalcifications to date, combining 3D Raman spectroscopy imaging and advanced multivariate analysis in order to investigate in depth the molecular composition of HAp calcifications found in 26 breast cancer tissue biopsies.

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