Publications by authors named "Zoe Apalla"
Article Synopsis
- Diagnosing acral melanocytic lesions, like acral nevi and melanoma, can be difficult, and the BRAAFF checklist was developed to assist in this process but hasn't been validated yet.
- In a study, varying experts diagnosed images of nevi and melanomas using the BRAAFF checklist online, yielding a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 65.0%, comparable to traditional pattern recognition.
- The checklist showed varying levels of agreement among raters based on experience, and a simplified version achieved similar sensitivity with slightly lower specificity, suggesting that the BRAAFF checklist is a helpful but not superior diagnostic tool.
Article Synopsis
- Diagnosing basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in individuals with darker skin tones (dark phototypes IV-VI) is difficult due to varied presentations and fewer identifiable clues; dermoscopy can aid in identifying BCC in these patients.
- This review provides a comparison of BCC's clinical and dermoscopic patterns in people of color to those in lighter-skinned individuals, identifying common mimickers like squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
- Key dermoscopic features of BCC in darker skin include blue, black, and gray dots, with arborizing vessels being the primary indicator, while unique conditions in darker skin such as dermatosis papulosa nigra are also considered in differential diagnosis.
Introduction: Dermoscopy is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of various skin conditions. Dermoscopy increases the sensitivity and specificity for skin cancer diagnosis, as well as infectious, inflammatory, and hair diseases. However, mastering dermoscopy intricacies poses challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Data regarding quality of life (QoL) of oncologic patients experiencing dermatologic immune-related adverse events (dirAEs) and their course after dermatologic intervention are scarce.
Objectives: To assess the impact of dirAEs on patients QoL and to investigate the correlation between dermatologic and oncologic indexes used for estimating QoL.
Methods: We enrolled oncologic patients with dirAEs managed in two supportive onco-dermatology outpatient clinics in Greece.
Article Synopsis
- Melanoma metastasis significantly lowers survival rates, highlighting the need for more predictive factors beyond just Breslow thickness and ulceration in determining tumor aggressiveness.
- A comprehensive literature review included 143 studies focusing on various clinical, histopathological, and molecular predictors that influence the likelihood of distant metastasis (DM) and the duration without it (DMFS).
- Key findings indicated that males, lesions on the head and neck, and specific melanoma subtypes (like nodular) were associated with a higher risk of DM, while factors such as tumor regression were linked to a lower risk. *
Background: Drug persistence is a crucial aspect of treatment success in psoriasis.
Objectives: To record real-world evidence concerning drug survival of biologic agents used for psoriasis treatment and to detect associated modifying factors in Greece.
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study based on data extracted from the nationwide Greek prescription system.
Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, cutaneous tumour with high mortality and frequently delayed diagnosis. Clinically, it often manifests as a rapidly growing erythematous to purple nodule usually located on the lower extremities or face and scalp of elderly patients. There is limited available data on the dermoscopic findings of MCC, and there are no specific features that can be used to definitively diagnose MCC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: While the management of noninvasive cutaneous melanoma (CM) is typically limited to a secondary excision to reduce recurrence risk and periodic follow-up, treating patients with advanced melanoma presents ongoing challenges. : This review provides a comprehensive examination of both established and emerging pharmacologic strategies for advanced CM management, offering an up-to-date insight into the current therapeutic milieu. The dynamic landscape of advanced CM treatment is explored, highlighting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies, either in monotherapy or combination regimens.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA Real-Life 208 Week Single-Centred, Register-Based Retrospective Study Assessing Secukinumab Survival and Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Among Greek Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis, Including Difficult-to-Treat Manifestations Such as Genitals and Scalp.
Dermatol Pract Concept
April 2024
Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with multiple skin manifestations, and in case of lesions affecting the genital area, sexual health impairment and psychological distress can furthermore impair the patients quality of life. Secukinumab is a fully humanized immunoglobulin G1 kappa antagonist of IL-17A and is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, since it shows a significant efficacy in clinical outcomes, with rapid onset of remission, prolonged treatment response rate, advantageous safety profile and a valuable improvement of the patients quality of life.
Objectives: This study was conducted in order to gather retrospective real-world data regarding the efficacy of secukinumab in treating patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Greece.
Introduction: The introduction of Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi) seems to revolutionize the field of alopecia areata (AA) therapeutics. However, real-world data are still missing.
Objectives: To provide evidence about effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib and baricitinib in AA in real-world settings and describe baseline disease characteristics and patients profiles that are considered good candidates for JAKi in the daily practice.
Article Synopsis
- Psoriasis is a skin and nail disease linked to various health issues, including depression and metabolic conditions.
- A study involving 80 participants aimed to explore the relationship between inflammation markers (CRP and ESR) and depression in psoriasis patients.
- Results showed that both CRP and ESR levels were elevated in psoriasis patients, especially those with depression, suggesting these markers could help identify depression in psoriasis for better treatment approaches.
Article Synopsis
- * A survey was conducted with 490 Italian and 234 Greek dermatologists using a 50-item questionnaire to assess current practices in diagnosing and treating AA.
- * Findings show that most dermatologists rely on patient history and clinical exams for diagnosis, use few quality-of-life assessments, and mainly prescribe topical steroids, revealing a wide variety in treatment approaches.
Background: The detection of cutaneous metastases (CMs) from various primary tumours represents a diagnostic challenge.
Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the general characteristics and dermatoscopic features of CMs from different primary tumours.
Methods: Retrospective, multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study of biopsy-proven CMs.
Background: Lentigo maligna (LM) exhibits a particular epidemiological profile compared to other histopathologic subtypes of melanoma, with a propensity for the head and neck area and a higher mean age at diagnosis. Few small-scale studies have exclusively evaluated the risk factors for the development of LM.
Objective: This study aims to compare LM to other histological subtypes of melanoma for the prevalence of known melanoma risk factors, including pigmentary characteristics, history of occupational sun exposure, nevus count, and familial melanoma history.
: Dermatoscopy has been established as an important diagnostic tool for a wide range of skin diseases. This study aims to evaluate the use of dermatoscopy in clinical practice among Greek dermatologists. : A nationwide questionnaire-based survey was conducted collecting data on the frequency of dermatoscopic examinations, the types of lesions examined, training and educational resources, as well as factors influencing the choice to incorporate dermatoscopy into daily clinical routines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The BrIDGE study examined the real-world effectiveness of brodalumab in treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Greece, focusing on the percentage of patients achieving complete clearance (PASI100) over 24 weeks and beyond.
- - Results showed that 42% of patients reached PASI100 at Week 24, with this number increasing to 65% by Week 104, while significant improvements were noted in other assessment scores (PASI75, PASI90, and sPGA).
- - Additionally, patients reported improved quality of life, with average scores on the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) decreasing significantly over the study period, indicating better overall well-being as a result of brodalumab treatment
Background: Melanoma disease patterns vary with patient age.
Aim: To evaluate sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in managing melanoma at differing patient ages.
Methods: Online prediction tools were applied to compare SLNB positivity (SLNB) and survival risk at patient ages 20-80.