Contact dermatitis of the lips due to late-type sensitization against dalbergiones in a wooden recorder.

Background: Late-type sensitizations against wood are rare and are mostly seen in patients with occupational contact with saw dust. Generally, commercial wooden products only lead to sensitization or dermatitis in cases when contact to the unprotected skin is direct, intensive and of longer duration, i.e.

Information-seeking and use of information resources among melanoma patients of German skin cancer centers.

Background: This study aimed to explore the information-seeking behavior (ISB) of melanoma patients (MPs) and MP subgroups, in order to provide data for needs-based adaptation of information provision.

Methods: In a cross-sectional survey in 27 German skin cancer centers, we explored characteristics of the ISB of MPs with the aid of a standardized questionnaire. Sub-group differences were determined with the chi-squared test and predictors of media preferences with logistic regression.

Unmet information needs of patients with melanoma in Germany.

There is a scarcity of available data on unmet information needs (UINs) of melanoma patients (MPs) from Germany and of MPs with clinical stage IV. In a multicenter cross-sectional survey, we explored the UINs of 529 MPs by applying a standardized questionnaire. Subgroup differences in scope and contents of UINs were determined by univariate analyses.

Quality, Readability, and Understandability of German Booklets Addressing Melanoma Patients.

Booklets are the preferably used form among patient education materials and are often handed out during medical consultations in dermatological oncology settings. However, little is known about how beneficial they are and whether they correspond to essential quality characteristics. To assess the quality, readability, and understandability of currently freely available booklets written in German addressing melanoma patients (MP).

[Information services for melanoma patients and awareness among those affected].

Background: Besides medical consultations, various sources of information and support are available for melanoma patients (MP) in Germany from commercial and non-commercial providers; however, little is known about how they are perceived and accepted by MPs.

Material And Methods: Between July and October 2016 a total of 529 melanoma patients were surveyed at 27 accredited German skin cancer centers by means of a standardized questionnaire. Their awareness and satisfaction with 12 given sources of information and counseling services (print, online and by telephone) were surveyed.

Intermittent High-Dose Intravenous Interferon Alfa-2b for Adjuvant Treatment of Stage III Melanoma: Final Analysis of a Randomized Phase III Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and quality of life (QoL) in patients receiving intravenous, intermittent high-dose interferon alfa-2b (IFN-α-2b [iHDI]) compared with standard high-dose IFN-α-2b (HDI).

Patient And Methods: Patients with stage III resected lymph node or in-transit metastasis from cutaneous malignant melanoma were randomly assigned to receive either a standard HDI regimen or three courses of IFN-α-2b 20 MIU/m(2) administered intravenously 5 days a week for 4 weeks then repeated every 4 months. Distant metastasis-free survival was the primary end point for efficacy analysis.

Same Site Recurrence is More Frequent After Endovenous Laser Ablation Compared with High Ligation and Stripping of the Great Saphenous Vein: 5 year Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial (RELACS Study).

Objective: To compare the long-term clinical efficacy of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) with high ligation and stripping (HLS) as standard treatment for great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence.

Design: Investigator initiated two centre randomized controlled trial with 5 year follow up.

Materials And Methods: Interventions were performed on ambulatory and hospitalized patients at two vein centres, a university dermatology department (EVLA) and a specialized vein clinic (HLS).

Reciprocal responses of fibroblasts and melanocytes to α-MSH depending on MC1R polymorphisms.

The melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R) exhibits several variants in form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are known to differentially regulate melanocyte function. However, whether and how MC1R polymorphisms also affect fibroblast function has not been investigated so far.Therefore we measured intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations and cellular proliferation upon stimulation with alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) in eight different human fibroblast and melanocyte cell lines with wild type and different MC1R SNPs.

Association of genetic variants of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) with cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and basal cell carcinomas (BCC): a pilot study in a German population.

Background: Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms have important implications for vitamin D signalling and are associated with various malignancies.

Patients And Methods: In a German population, the frequency of several VDR polymorphisms (Apa1, Taq1, Bgl1) in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs, n=90) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs, n=100) as compared to healthy controls (n=51) was analyzed.

Results: Impressive variations in the frequency of some VDR genotypes were found when comparing skin of cancer patients and controls.

Prospective evaluation of supportive care with or without CVD chemotherapy as a second-line treatment in advanced melanoma by patient's choice: a multicentre Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group trial.

This prospective, nonrandomized multicentre, phase III study compared best supportive care (BSC) alone with cisplatin, vindesine and dacabazine-based (CVD) chemotherapy and BSC in patients with advanced melanoma. A total of 117 pretreated patients with metastatic melanoma were evaluated, 34 patients in arm A (BSC) and 83 in arm B (BSC and CVD). Primary endpoint was overall survival and secondary endpoints were disease control rate and quality of life (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30).

Comparable effectiveness of endovenous laser ablation and high ligation with stripping of the great saphenous vein: two-year results of a randomized clinical trial (RELACS study).

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) with high ligation and stripping (HLS) as standard treatment for great saphenous vein (GSV) insufficiency.

Design: Two-center randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up.

Setting: Interventions were performed on ambulatory and hospitalized patients at 2 vein centers, a university dermatology department (EVLT-treated group), and a specialized vein clinic (HLS-treated group).

Construction and evaluation of a multidimensional score to assess varicose vein severity - the Homburg Varicose Vein Severity Score (HVVSS).

To evaluate a novel score (HVVSS) for varicose vein patients combining subjective symptoms, clinical findings and functional data of venous insufficiency. 91 patients (118 legs) with primary varicose veins of the great, small or accessory anterior saphenous vein were treated with conventional surgery. HVVSS was assessed pre- and 3 months postoperatively.

Health-related quality of life before and during adjuvant interferon-α treatment for patients with malignant melanoma (DeCOG-trial).

Adjuvant treatment with interferon-α (IFN-α) for patients with malignant melanoma can improve relapse-free and overall survival, but IFN-associated side effects may reduce patient's quality of life. The aim of the study was to prospectively evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with melanoma before and during Low-Dose IFN-α therapy. In a prospective multicenter trial conducted by the Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group, 850 patients with cutaneous stage II malignant melanoma received a standard Low-Dose of IFN-α-2a.

Genetic variations in the genes encoding receptor activator nuclear factor κ B (RANK), receptor activator nuclear factor κ B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a case-control study.

Psoriasis (Ps) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are diseases of unknown origin. However, the receptor activator nuclear factor κ B ligand (RANKL) might play a key role in the pathomechanisms of the disease. Our aim was to study seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the genes encoding for receptor activator nuclear factor κ B (RANK, two SNP), osteoprotegerin (OPG, two SNP) and RANKL (three SNP in patients with Ps and PsA).

Caterpillar dermatitis revisited: lepidopterism after contact with oak processionary caterpillar.

Caterpillar dermatitis (lepidopterism) is a disease that is caused by butterflies, moths and their caterpillars. Clinical signs and symptoms vary from itchy skin lesions to conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, malaise and anaphylactic reactions. We present the case of two brothers with typical skin lesions of leptidopterism.

Venoarterial flow index steadily improves after endovenous laser treatment of the great saphenous vein.

Background: Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) is a minimally invasive procedure to ablate varicose veins. The venous arterial flow index (VAFI) represents a quantitative duplex ultrasound parameter to characterize venous hemodynamics, which has not been investigated in EVLT so far.

Objective: To analyze the hemodynamic improvement of EVLT of the great saphenous vein (GSV) according to VAFI measurement.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) protects human keratinocytes against UV-B-induced damage: In vitro analysis of cell viability/proliferation, DNA-damage and -repair.

The skin is the only organ that has the capacity to photo-synthesize the biological active vitamin D metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] from 7-dehydocholesterol (7-DHC), following exposure to ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation. The aim of the present work was to investigate the capacity of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) to protect human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SCL-1) against the hazardous effects of UV-B irradiation. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SCL-1) were pretreated with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) over 48 hours and then irradiated once with UVB-radiation.

Activation of vitamin D receptor (VDR)- and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-signaling pathways through 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in melanoma cell lines and other skin-derived cell lines.

We have investigated expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR)alpha, delta, gamma in primary cultured normal melanocytes (NHM), melanoma cell lines (MeWo, SK-Mel-5, SK-Mel-25, SK-Mel-28), a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell line (SCL-1) and an immortalized sebocyte cell line (SZ95). LNCaP prostate cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells and embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) were used as controls. VDR and PPAR mRNA were detected, quantitated and compared in these cell lines using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR).