Cartilage-like composition of keloid scar extracellular matrix suggests fibroblast mis-differentiation in disease.

Following wound damage to the skin, the scarring spectrum is wide-ranging, from a manageable normal scar through to pathological keloids. The question remains whether these fibrotic lesions represent simply a quantitative extreme, or alternatively, whether they are qualitatively distinct. A three-way comparison of the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition of normal skin, normal scar and keloids was performed using quantitative discovery-based proteomics.

Laser Corrective Surgery with Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Following Full-thickness Skin Grafts.

Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are frequently used to treat patients with burn injuries and to repair defects rendered by excisional (including Mohs) surgery. The evidence for corrective laser surgery after scar formation is well established. With regard to laser treatment of FTSG, the evidence is sparse.

Carbon dioxide laser ablation for trichoepitheliomas: The largest reported series.

Trichoepitheliomas are benign cutaneous tumours often occurring on the face and can lead to considerable psychological distress to its sufferers. Treatment is often difficult, and surgery is limited by the obvious scars and multiple numbers of lesions. Carbon dioxide laser ablation can be used safely with good cosmetic outcome and low recurrence rate, and in this article, we describe our experience in the treatment of these tumours with the carbon dioxide laser.

Our experience of carbon dioxide laser ablation of angiofibromas: Case series and literature review.

Angiofibromas are one of the dermatological hallmarks of tuberous sclerosis. Various ablative treatments have been trialled and more recently topical rapamycin has been proposed. We present our experience of treatment of angiofibromas using carbon dioxide (CO) laser ablation and provide a timely literature review.

The use of lasers in cutaneous sarcoid: Is there a role?

Sarcoid is a granulomatous disease that can affect the skin solely or as part of a systemic involvement. Cutaneous lesions of sarcoid may be difficult to treat and lasers are rarely used. In this article we report our case series and review the literature on the use of lasers in cutaneous sarcoid.

The use of lasers in Becker's naevus: An evidence-based review.

Becker's naevus is a hamartoma that often appears during puberty. Clinically this presents with a pigmented and often hairy patch most often on the shoulders. Treatment has always been challenging and lasers are often used with mixed results.

Photodynamic Therapy Followed by Mohs Micrographic Surgery Compared to Mohs Micrographic Surgery Alone for the Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma: Results of a Pilot Single-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Basal cell carcinoma is a common cutaneous malignant tumour. Surgical excision is the "gold standard" treatment for most subtypes, with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) offering the highest cure rate. Other treatment modalities used include photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Lentigo maligna mimicking invasive melanoma in Mohs surgery: a case report.

Lentigo maligna is a lentiginous proliferation of atypical melanocytes confined to the epidermis, typically on chronically sun-damaged skin. Following biopsy and exclusion of invasive disease, therapy may involve Mohs surgery, topical treatment or radiotherapy. However, lentigo maligna often involves adnexal structures, creating histological difficulty in distinguishing these foci from invasive melanoma.

Mohs micrographic surgery concordance between Mohs surgeons and dermatopathologists.

Background: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is the preferred treatment modality for high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancer because of the high cure rates and tissue-sparing effect. Its outcome is highly dependent on the expertise and accuracy of the Mohs surgeon in the interpretation of frozen sections.

Objective: This retrospective study evaluated the level of concordance between Mohs surgeons and dermatopathologists in reading histology slides from MMS procedures.

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome with a renal angiomyolipoma: further evidence of a relationship between Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex.

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal dominant condition caused by mutations in the gene which codes for folliculin (FLCN). It is characterised clinically by fibrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, pulmonary cysts, spontaneous pneumothoraces and renal cancers. This case illustrates a patient with BHDS and a renal angiomyolipoma.

Cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a series of 5 cases with molecular analysis.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) rarely metastasize to the skin. We describe 5 patients with GIST with subcutaneous and cutaneous metastases. The mean age at metastasis was 54 years (range 30-68 years) with a male predominance (4:1).

A novel 2-hour method for rapid preparation of permanent paraffin sections when treating melanoma in situ with mohs micrographic surgery.

Background: Distinguishing sun-induced melanocyte atypia from residual melanoma in situ (MIS) can be challenging, particularly when working with frozen sections. Immunostains such as melanoma-associated antigen recognized by T cells (MART-1) can assist, but paraffin sections provide an optimal means of analyzing melanocyte morphology.

Objective: To verify the effectiveness of a 2-hour paraffin processing technique that uses microwave technology in the preparation of MIS sections.