Dysplastic nevi and melanoma: microRNAs tell a divergent story.

Background: dysplastic nevi (DN) share some clinical and histological features with melanoma and have been considered intermediate lesions toward malignant transformation. However, scientific evidence of DN representing melanoma precursors is still incomplete, and many observations pointed toward their being a distinct biological entity. The current definition of DN is also confusing and the practical consequence of this uncertainty is the excessive excision of DN with severe atypia.

Female melanoma and estrogen receptors expression: an immunohistochemical pilot study.

Epidemiologic data highlight sex differences in melanoma outcome. A putative role of sex hormones is still under investigation. Very few laboratory investigations have focused on the level of expression of estrogen receptors in melanoma.

The EORTC protocol for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) reveals a high number of nodal nevi and a strong association with nevus-associated melanoma.

Background: The diagnosis of nodal nevi (NN) is challenging as they mimic melanoma metastases (MM), with a detection rate mostly ranging between 1% and 11% in sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Herein, we assessed the incidence of NN and the association with the clinical-pathological features of primary melanoma, adopting the updated European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) protocol for SLNB.

Methods: All cases of paired melanoma and SLNB were retrospectively evaluated (April 2019-May 2020).

Nevocentric erythema multiforme in a child.

A 9-year-old girl presented with multiple, ring-shaped, erythematous, nonscaly plaques on the trunk, face and arms, most surrounding preexisting melanocytic nevi. She had experienced recurring episodes of herpes simplex labialis over several years (average 4/year), the last occurring 10 days prior.

Predicting future cancer burden in the United States by artificial neural networks.

To capture the complex relationships between risk factors and cancer incidences in the US and predict future cancer burden. Two artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms were adopted: a multilayer feed-forward network (MLFFNN) and a nonlinear autoregressive network with eXogenous inputs (NARX). Data on the incidence of the four most common tumors (breast, colorectal, lung and prostate) from 1992 to 2016 (available from National Cancer Institute online datasets) were used for training and validation, and data until 2050 were predicted.

Lymphogranuloma venereum genovariants in men having sex with men in Italy.

Objectives: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is an STI caused by serovars L1-L3. In Europe, the current epidemic is caused mainly by L2b genovariant, although increasing cases associated with other L2 variants have been reported. Here, we assessed the distribution of rectal LGV genovariants among men having sex with men (MSM) in Italy.

The role of topical imiquimod in melanoma cutaneous metastases: A critical review of the literature.

Despite of the emerging new systemic and local oncologic treatments (immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viral treatments and injected immunostimulants) the management of skin melanoma metastasis can be still challenging. The main aim of this review was to assess the efficacy and the role of imiquimod in local metastatic melanoma disease. An extensive literature review was performed from September 2000 to March 2020 using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases.

It's time for Mohs: Micrographic surgery for the treatment of high-risk basal cell carcinomas of the head and neck regions.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common variety of non-melanoma skin cancer and its incidence is increasing worldwide. The centrofacial sites (area H) are considered a high-risk factor for BCC local recurrence. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a technique that allows intraoperative microscopic control of the surgical margins and is a good treatment option when tissue conservation is required for esthetic or functional reasons or for high-risk lesions.

Sonographic features of vaccination granulomas in children with delayed-type hypersensitivity to aluminum.

In this article, we report the sonographic features of vaccination granulomas in three children sensitized to aluminum. Although the recognition of the vaccination granuloma relies on the clinical examination, misdiagnosis is frequent, leading to distressful procedures or prolonged antibiotic administration. In all our cases, sonography revealed a teardrop-shaped echogenic central structure, suggesting the deposition of aluminum crystals along the route of administration with consequent subcutaneous degenerative changes, and a surrounding hypoechoic cap, which reflects the changeable inflammatory reaction and the granuloma formation.

An unusual skin reaction in uveal melanoma during treatment with nivolumab: extragenital lichen sclerosus.

Antibodies directed against programmed death receptor 1 emerged as beneficial immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy in many different types of cancer. However, programmed death receptor 1 is critical in promoting self-tolerance and the most common toxicities of checkpoint inhibitors are immune-related adverse events. We present a 48-year-old woman affected by metastatic uveal melanoma treated with nivolumab (3 mg/kg every 2 weeks).

Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid-Associated Malignancies: Case Series and a Brief Overview of the Literature.

Background: Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a heterogeneous group of blistering disorders affecting the mucosae with or without skin involvement, characterized by the presence of autoantibodies to components of the basement membrane zone, including the bullous pemphigoid antigen BP180 and β4 integrin. Current literature has shown that a minority of patients present circulating antibodies to laminin-332 and this population seems to be associated with a relatively high risk of malignancy.

Objective: To present our personal case series of patients with MMP-associated malignancy from a dermatology university hospital.

Genitourinary Tumors: Update on Molecular Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Prediction of Response to Therapy.

Background: Research of biomarkers in genitourinary tumors goes along with the development of complex emerging techniques ranging from next generation sequencing platforms, applied to archival pathology specimens, cytological samples, liquid biopsies, and to patient-derived tumor models.

Methods: This contribution is an update on molecular biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of response to therapy in genitourinary tumors. The following major topics are dealt with: Immunological biomarkers, including the microbiome, and their potential role and caveats in renal cell carcinoma, bladder and prostate cancers and testicular germ cell tumors; Tissue biomarkers for imaging and therapy, with emphasis on Prostate-specific membrane antigen in prostate cancer; Liquid biomarkers in prostate cancer, including circulating tumor cell isolation and characterization in renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer with emphasis on biomarkers detectable in the urine and testicular germ cell tumors; and Biomarkers and economic sustainability.

Healthcare cost of HER2-positive and negative breast tumors in the United States (2012-2035).

Background: In this study, we estimated the current and future costs related to the use of targeted agents in patients with HER2-positive and negative advanced breast cancer (BC), aimed at identifying the subgroup associated with the higher cost in the coming years.

Methods: We calculated the patient cost considering an ideal patient who received therapeutic sequences including all approved agents for HER2-positive or negative BC. The duration of treatment was estimated by the median Progression-Free Survival (PFS) reported in the phase III trials which have led to the approval of these drugs by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Assessing the relationship between toxicity and economic cost of oncological target agents: A systematic review of clinical trials.

Target agents are peculiar oncological drugs which differ from the traditional therapies in their ability of recognizing specific molecules expressed by tumor cells and microenvironment. Thus, their toxicity is generally lower than that associated to chemotherapy, and they represent nowadays a new standard of care in a number of tumors. This paper deals with the relationship between economic costs and toxicity of target agents.