Oral therapy for nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with advanced disease and large tumor burden: a review of the literature with focus on a new generation of targeted therapies.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer in patients and includes basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Treatments useful for SCC and BCC include surgical, topical, and in advanced cases systemic chemo-radiation. This review of the literature aims to describe previous and current treatment options for oral therapy in locally advanced and metastatic NMSC otherwise unamenable to standard treatment.

Glomus-like bodies within a neurofibroma: a novel neoplasm arising in neurofibromatosis type 1 or a coincidence?

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a relatively common genetic disorder with variable phenotypes. Tumors with features of both glomus tumors and neurofibromas are exceedingly rare in literature. Herein, we report a not yet described neoplasm with features of both a glomangioma/glomus tumor and a neurofibroma arising in a patient with segmental neurofibromatosis.

Analysis of tumor mitotic rate in thin metastatic melanomas compared with thin melanomas without metastasis using both the hematoxylin and eosin and anti-phosphohistone 3 IHC stain.

Studies have suggested that elevated tumor mitotic rate (MR) is linked to overall survival in thin melanoma. Recently, promising data regarding anti-phosphohistone 3 (pHH3) immunohistochemistry and its ability to aid in calculation of MR have emerged. The authors retrospectively analyzed original biopsies from 13 thin melanomas with positive sentinel node (SN) status and 16 thin melanomas with negative SN status.

Disseminated histoplasmosis in a renal transplant patient.

Histoplasma capsulatum is a common endemic mycosis. Infection typically goes unnoticed by an individual, but in immunosuppressed patients, it may become disseminated. We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis occurring 6 weeks after a kidney transplant.

Reticular erythematous mucinosis--a review.

Reticular erythematous mucinosis (REM) is a rare cutaneous condition often referred to as plaque-like mucinosis and midline mucinosis. Although the exact etiology remains undefined, efforts to elucidate pathogenesis, disease associations, and prospective treatment modalities have been encouraging. Induction of the disease has been associated with viral processes, solar irradiation, specific cell lines, and cytokines such as Interleukin (IL)-1β.

Distinction of melanoma in situ from solar lentigo on sun-damaged skin using morphometrics and MITF immunohistochemistry.

Distinction between melanoma in situ (MIS) and solar lentigo (SL) on chronically sun-damaged skin (CSDS) by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) criteria alone can be difficult and in frozen section (FS) material, may be virtually impossible without immunohistochemistry (IHC). In this study, we used microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) IHC-directed image analysis to compare melanocyte nuclear morphometrics of MIS, SL, and sections of sun-damaged skin from redundant tissue acquired during Mohs micrographic surgery. The mean nuclear diameter and melanocytic density figures for MIS were greater than those for SL and CSDS by both independent t-test and analysis of variance statistics.

Merkel cell carcinoma: clinical characteristics, markers, staging and treatment.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive neoplasm affecting primarily the elderly Caucasian population. Earlier detection of this neoplasm may achieve a better prognosis and an improved outcome. Here, the authors review the typical clinical features of MCC to serve as a reference tool for clinicians in determining when a biopsy may be warranted.