Cutaneous manifestations of hepatitis C in the era of new antiviral agents.

The association of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with a wide spectrum of cutaneous manifestations has been widely reported in the literature, with varying strength of epidemiological association. Skin diseases which are certainly related with chronic HCV infection due to a strong epidemiological and pathogenetic association are mixed cryoglobulinemia, lichen planus and porphyria cutanea tarda. Chronic pruritus and necrolytic acral erythema are conditions that may share a possible association with HCV infection, while several immune-mediated inflammatory skin conditions, such as psoriasis, chronic urticaria and vitiligo, have been only anecdotally reported in the setting of chronic HCV infection.

Clinical experience of imiquimod 3.75% for actinic keratosis: results from a case series.

Background: In clinical studies, imiquimod 3.75% was shown to detect and treat actinic keratosis (AK) lesions across an entire sun-exposed field such as the full face or balding scalp. The aim of this study was to evaluate imiquimod 3.

Giant neglected squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the most common type of skin tumor, representing about one-third of all malignancies diagnosed worldwide each year. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of NMSCs and the risk of cSCC invasiveness should be assessed on the basis of tumor size, anatomical location, and histological subtype. Although most cSCCs are early diagnosed and successfully treated, in a small percentage of patients with giant cSCC (maximum diameter >5 cm), metastases may occur; treatment options are limited and not really effective.

The first skin cancer screening day at the Italian parliament: a Euromelanoma initiative.

Background: The effort to decrease incidence/mortality of skin cancer should target not only the general public but also politicians and decision makers, to create a proper health policy. We report the results of the first Skin Cancer Screening Day at the Italian Parliament, organized to draw politicians' attention on skin cancer.

Methods: A questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' characteristics and suspected skin cancers.

Adverse skin reactions during treatment with cetuximab plus radiotherapy: Multidisciplinary approach to minimize radio-chemotherapy interruption.

Background: Antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab, are effective in loco-regional advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in association with radiotherapy. Cutaneous reactions are well known as adverse events during treatment with EGFR inhibitors.

Objective: To identify a multidisciplinary approach for mucous-cutaneous toxicity during cetuximab-radiotherapy treatment in order to reduce the risk of an early radio-chemotherapy interruption.

Quality of life in patients with anogenital warts.

Background: Anogenital warts (GW) are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Few studies have investigated the quality of life (QoL) of GW patients.

Objective: We undertook an exhaustive description of the health status of GW patients and assessed disease impact on QoL.

The Italian Euromelanoma Day: evaluation of results and implications for future prevention campaigns.

Background: Melanoma incidence/mortality is increasing worldwide. "Euromelanoma Day" is a pan-European campaign for skin cancer prevention. Results of the 2010 Euromelanoma Day in Italy are reported herein.

Erythema nodosum induced by kerion celsi of the scalp in a child: a case report and mini-review of literature.

A 9-year-old girl, presented with a 4-week history of an inflammatory suppurative plaque, 8 cm in diameter, localised in the occipital area of the scalp. Mycological direct examination showed ectoendothrix invasion of the hair and Trichophyton mentagrophytes was isolated. Oral therapy with griseofulvin 25 mg kg(-1)  day(-1) was prescribed, but after 2 weeks of treatment appeared multiple erythematous subcutaneous nodules localised in the legs.

Polymorphisms in base excision DNA repair genes and association with melanoma risk in a pilot study on Central-South Italian population.

Base excision repair plays a key role in the removing of DNA damage from exposure to endogenous and exogenous carcinogens. The BER pathway removes alterations of a single oxidized, reduced or methylated base. Recently some studies have explored the association between risk for cutaneous melanoma and non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in DNA-repair genes, although with contradictory results.

A suspected squamous cell carcinoma in a renal transplant recipient revealing a rare cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis by Alternaria infectoria.

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is the most common neoplasm after organ transplantation. In addition, fungal infections are increasingly described in immunocompromised patients, such as kidney recipients.

Method And Results: We report a case of a 64-year-old woman with a renal transplant presenting with 6-month-old skin lesions.

Human Papillomaviruses, p16INK4a and Akt expression in basal cell carcinoma.

Background: The pathogenic role of beta-HPVs in non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), is not still completely understood, and literature data indicate that they might be at least cofactors in the development of certain cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. However, only few reports contain data on basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The HPVs interact with many cellular proteins altering their function or the expression levels, like the p16INK4a and Akt.

Combined treatment with etanercept 50 mg once weekly and narrow-band ultraviolet B phototherapy in chronic plaque psoriasis.

The combination of etanercept, a tumour necrosis factor α inhibitor, with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy has recently been reported to be effective in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, yielding better results than either monotherapy. To assess the efficacy and safety of this combined treatment using the lower approved etanercept dosage. In this single-arm open-label study patients received etanercept 50 mg once weekly combined with NB-UVB phototherapy three times weekly for 8 weeks, followed by etanercept alone until week 12.

Common genetic variants of MUTYH are not associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma: application of molecular screening by means of high-resolution melting technique in a pilot case-control study.

MUTYH glycosylase recognizes the 8-oxoG:A mismatch and is able to excise the adenine base using proofreading mechanisms. Some papers have reported a strong association between cancer development or aggressiveness and MUTYH gene mutations. The aim of this study was to find a possible association between the most frequent MUTYH mutations and melanoma in the context of a case-control pilot study.

A new standardized absolute quantitative RT-PCR method for detection of tyrosinase mRNAs in melanoma patients: technical and operative instructions.

Background: To develop a new absolute quantitative real-time PCR method for blood mRNA tyrosinase assay and to compare this new method with standard RT-PCR nested.

Methods: Ten blood of melanoma patients (stages I-III), 5 tissue samples, 2 surgical fresh metastatic skin and 3 lymph nodes paraffin-embedded slices were analysed, and 10 negative controls were used. Ten millilitres of blood was analysed for each individual.

Array-based comparative genomic hybridization in early-stage mycosis fungoides: recurrent deletion of tumor suppressor genes BCL7A, SMAC/DIABLO, and RHOF.

The etiology of mycosis fungoides (MF), the most frequent form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), is poorly understood. No specific genetic aberration has been detected, especially in early-stage disease, possibly due to the clinical and histological heterogeneity of patient series and to the different sources of malignant cells (skin, blood, or lymph node) included in most studies. Frozen skin biopsies from 16 patients with early-stage MF were studied using array-based comparative genomic hybridization.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by hydroxychloroquine: three cases and a review of the literature.

Introduction: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a clinical reaction pattern that is principally drug induced and is characterized by acute, extensive formation of nonfollicular sterile pustules on an erythematous and edematous substrate. Hydroxychloroquine (HHCQ), an antimalarial drug widely used to treat rheumatic and dermatologic diseases, has been described as an uncommon cause of AGEP.

Objectives: This article reports 3 cases of HCQ-induced AGEP and reviews similar cases in the published literature.