Photodynamic therapy with a 5-ALA patch does not increase the risk of conversion of actinic keratoses into squamous cell carcinoma: Results of a multicentre non-interventional study.

Background: It is important to collect data about the risk of transformation of an actinic keratosis (AK) lesion into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) after a single photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-ALA patch for a longer follow-up period under daily routine.

Questions Addressed: The purpose of this non-interventional study (NIS) was to collect data on the frequency of occurrence of SCCs in the treated area during an interval of 2 years after a single 5-ALA patch-PDT.

Experimental Design: This prospective observational case-only study included patients with mild AK lesions on the head and face treated with 5-ALA patch-PDT according to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC).

Survival after intratumoral interleukin-2 treatment of 72 melanoma patients and response upon the first chemotherapy during follow-up.

Systemic high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment achieves long-term survival in a subset of advanced patients with melanoma. As we reported previously, intratumoral IL-2 induced complete local responses in more than 60% of melanoma patients. This study aimed to analyze the long-term outcome of 72 patients treated in two prior trials.

Adjuvant treatment with vindesine in comparison to observation alone in patients with metastasized melanoma after complete metastasectomy: a randomized multicenter trial of the German Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vindesine in patients with metastatic melanoma after complete metastasectomy. One hundred and forty-two patients with metastatic spread to regional sites, lymph nodes, and distant sites after complete metastasectomy were randomized to receive either treatment with vindesine for 2 years or observation alone. Vindesine 3 mg/m intravenously was administered biweekly for the first 26 weeks following 3-week intervals for an additional 26 weeks and thereafter every 4 weeks for 52 weeks.

A phase III, randomized, open label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of imiquimod 5% cream applied thrice weekly for 8 and 12 weeks in the treatment of low-risk nodular basal cell carcinoma.

Objective: The present study was planned to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of topical treatment with imiquimod in nodular basal cell carcinoma (nBCC).

Methods: One hundred two patients were randomized to receive thrice-weekly topical imiquimod for either 8 or 12 weeks. Twelve patients dropped out.

Metastatic glucagonoma: treatment with liver transplantation.

Glucagonoma is a rare pancreatic endocrine tumor that is often both well developed and malignant at detection. In the case of metastatic spread the patient has a poor long-term prognosis. We hope to familiarize dermatologists and other specialists with this rare and potentially fatal disorder because early recognition of necrolytic migratory erythema, a clinical feature that may appear in patients with glucagonoma, can lead to possible cure, whereas delayed identification of the disease is associated with metastatic disease and a poor prognosis.

Prospective comparison of the impact on treatment decisions of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma.

Patient management and treatment strategies for metastatic melanoma depend largely on the stage of metastatic disease. The aim of this study was to compare contrast-enhanced whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (wbMRI) and whole-body computed tomography (wbCT) to detect distant metastases for staging. A total of 43 patients (41 with completed wbCT and wbMRI examination) with known American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage III-IV malignant melanoma were examined and 775 metastases were identified by both methods.

[Experiences with the new American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification of cutaneous melanoma].

A new AJCC/UICC staging classification of malignant melanoma was published in 2001 and has been in use since then. Compared to the TNM classification used for the previous 15 years, the new classification contains fundamental changes. The classification of the primary tumor is now based on newly defined classes for Breslow's tumor thickness (0 - 1.

Imiquimod in the treatment of extensive recurrent lentigo maligna.

We report the case of a 70-year-old white male with an extensive recurrence of lentigo maligna in a skin-transplanted region. He was treated with imiquimod 5% cream topically applied 5 times a week for a total duration of 9 months. Clinically and histologically, a complete clearing of the lesion was observed after treatment.

Fast whole-body assessment of metastatic disease using a novel magnetic resonance imaging system: initial experiences.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical use of a novel whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for comprehensive assessment of tumor spread in clinical routine.

Material And Methods: Sixty-five patients with different tumors with known metastatic disease and 6 healthy volunteers were included. High-resolution MRI from head to toe was performed using multiple phased-array surface coil elements, 24 independent receiver channels, and an integrated parallel acquisition technique (iPAT).

Palliative therapy of disseminated malignant melanoma: a systematic review of 41 randomised clinical trials.

We undertook a systematic review of 41 randomised studies in disseminated melanoma, identified by a comprehensive search. We aimed to investigate rates of response to various treatment modalities and the outcome for the patients. We analysed seven studies that compared polychemotherapy with single-agent dacarbazine, six that compared different chemotherapeutic schedules with each other, five on the addition of tamoxifen to a reference therapy, and six that included non-specific immunostimulators.