Practical recommendations for therapy and monitoring of mogamulizumab patients in Germany.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are the most common subtypes of the heterogeneous group of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). With the expansion of the biologic treatment landscape, new treatment options have become available in recent years, most notably the C-C chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4)-directed monoclonal antibody mogamulizumab. Based on the phase III pivotal trial, mogamulizumab is recommended by the German S2k guidelines for the second-line treatment of stage IB and above SS and MF, after at least one prior systemic therapy.

S2k guideline basal cell carcinoma of the skin (update 2023).

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor in the fair-skinned population and its incidence continues to rise. An update of the S2k guideline with the participation of all specialist societies familiar with the clinical picture and previous literature research is of great importance for the quality of care for affected patients. In addition to epidemiology, diagnostics and histology are discussed.

End-of-Life Care Preferences of Patients with Advanced Urological Malignancies: An Explorative Survey Study at a Tertiary Referral Center.

Many people want to die at home, but it is often not possible because they do not share their wishes with family members. This study was conducted to find out the extent to which patients with advanced urological malignancies had wishes regarding their final stage of life, made arrangements accordingly, and communicated their wishes to relatives and health care professionals. We conducted a survey among advanced urological tumor patients during their clinic visit at a German university hospital using a 31-item questionnaire.

End-of-life wishes and care planning for patients with advanced skin cancer.

Background: Patients with advanced or metastatic skin cancer have a limited life expectancy and the majority die as a result of the tumor despite modern treatment options. The preferences of these patients concerning care during their last phase of life are currently unknown.

Patients And Methods: 150 patients with advanced skin cancer (AJCC/UICC stage III or IV) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.

Dermatosurgery - from surgical option to integral part of dermatologic therapy.

Dermatosurgery was long considered an isolated, and not always important, discipline within dermatology. As a therapeutic option, it was considered either the gold standard of first-line therapy, for example in basal cell carcinoma surgery and treatment of early-stage melanoma, or the last option, for instance in the treatment of warts. The fact that a profound change has taken place and that dermatosurgery is now an integral, equal, sometimes leading and always significant component of dermatology will be demonstrated in this review using three examples from geriatric dermatology, the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa), and melanoma therapy.

The optimal use of chlormethine gel for mycosis fungoides: An expert consensus from Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH region).

Background: In Europe chlormethine gel is licensed for the management of patients with mycosis fungoides of all stages. However, the optimal regimen regarding frequency and dosing as well as combination and maintenance therapy is not well established.

Methods: Ten experts experienced in research and management of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region) were asked in written form to report on indication for chlormethine gel, frequency of use, monitoring, concomitant therapies, adverse effects, combination therapies in later stages of the disease, maintenance therapy, and adherence to this therapy for mycosis fungoides.

Inpatient care for skin diseases in Germany: multi-source analysis on the current and future health care needs.

Background: In Germany, skin diseases are mainly treated in the 115 dermatological hospitals.

Methods: Health care and health economic analysis of dermatological inpatient care and prediction of future care needs based on primary and secondary data.

Results: Outpatient and inpatient care for dermatologic treatment indications is predominantly provided by dermatology specialists.

Hygiene recommendations for outpatient dermatosurgery.

The German Infection Protection Act and country-specific laws demand appropriate measures to prevent nosocomial infections and propagation of pathogens, especially those with resistances. This also concerns outpatient surgery of the skin. Special focus is placed on hand hygiene, antiseptics, hygienic modes of operation and professional instrument reprocessing.

PET/CT in malignant melanoma: a two-tiered healthcare system? Updated healthcare situation regarding initial staging of malignant melanoma with PET/CT.

Background: Patients with stage IIC malignant melanoma are recommended to undergo cross-sectional imaging for initial staging. PET/CT is superior to other methods regarding its diagnostic accuracy of the tumor spread in stage III. So far there is no meaningful data on the nationwide availability, usage and cost recovery of this imaging technique.

Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, NOS and leg type: Clinical, morphologic and prognostic differences.

Background And Objectives: Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, NOS (PCLBCL/NOS) is a rare PCLBCL. Only few data are available for this tumor. The aim of this study was to identify clinical and/or immunohistochemical markers (in addition to Bcl-2) that characterize PCLBCL/NOS, assist in differentiating it from PCLBCL, leg type (PCLBCL/LT) and help to assess the clinical course/prognosis.

Personalized Medicine in Malignant Melanoma: Towards Patient Tailored Treatment.

Despite enormous international efforts, skin melanoma is still a major clinical challenge. Melanoma takes a top place among the most common cancer types and it has one of the most rapidly increasing incidences in many countries around the world. Until recent years, there have been limited options for effective systemic treatment of disseminated melanoma.

Structured Expert Consensus on Actinic Keratosis: Treatment Algorithm Focusing on Daylight PDT.

Background: A practical and up-to-date consensus among experts is paramount to further improve patient care in actinic keratosis (AK).

Objectives: To develop a structured consensus statement on the diagnosis, classification, and practical management of AK based on up-to-date information.

Methods: A systematic review of AK clinical guidelines was conducted.

Prospective multicentre cohort study on 9154 surgical procedures to assess the risk of postoperative bleeding - a DESSI study.

Background: To date, there is still a debate how to deal with patients receiving antithrombotic agents prior to surgical procedures on the skin.

Objective: To prospectively assess complications after dermatosurgical interventions, especially bleeding, depending on anticoagulation therapy.

Methods: Patients underwent surgery consecutively as scheduled, without randomization, whether or not they were currently taking anticoagulants.

Current diagnosis and treatment of basal cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma represents is most common tumor in fair-skinned individuals. In Germany, age-standardized incidence rates are 63 (women) and 80 (men) per 100,000 population per year. Early lesions may be difficult to diagnose merely on clinical grounds.

Daylight PDT with MAL - current data and practical recommendations of an expert panel.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is one of the standard treatment modalities for actinic keratoses (AKs). Daylight PDT (DL-PDT) with MAL cream is a rather recent development, which, instead of an artificial light source, uses daylight for the activation of the photosensitizer. The present review summarizes available data based on a selective literature search, highlights practical aspects, and reflects the authors' expert knowledge in using DL-PDT.

Segmentally arranged seborrhoeic keratoses with impending atypia and squamous cell carcinoma in an elderly woman.

Epidermal naevi (EN) are considered mosaic disorders. Postzygotic mutations are thought to occur during early embryogenesis. They are usually arranged along Blaschko's lines and tend to be noted either at birth or shortly thereafter.

Skin changes following organ transplantation: an interdisciplinary challenge.

Background: The immunosuppressants used in transplantation medicine significantly elevate the incidence of neoplasia, particularly in the skin. The cumulative incidence of non-melanocytic skin cancer (NMSC) in renal transplant recipients was 20.5% in a study carried out in German centers.

Side effects of systemic oncological therapies in dermatology.

The discovery of specific gene mutations, termed "driver mutations", in different tumors has brought personalized medicine into the focus of cancer treatment. Targeted treatment agents generally are administered orally and have a tolerable adverse event profile; they have become widely used in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The approval of the selective BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf®) as first-line therapy of metastatic melanoma in Europe in February 2012 as well as the increasing use of MEK inhibitors within clinical trials confronts dermatologists and oncologists with a new spectrum of side effects.

Sentinel lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor for thick (> or = 4 mm) melanomas.

Background: The value of the status of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in patients with thick melanomas (Breslow thickness > or = 4 mm) is controversial.

Patients And Methods: Using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models, we studied 152 patients with primary melanomas > or = 4 mm thickness who underwent sentinel lymph node excision (SLNE) at the university hospitals of Hannover and Göttingen, Germany, between 1998 and 2006.

Results: The median tumor thickness was 5.

Cutaneous lymphomas in Germany: an analysis of the Central Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry of the German Society of Dermatology (DDG).

Background: Primary cutaneous lymphomas form a heterogeneous group of lymphatic neoplasias. They manifest themselves on the skin and are the second most frequent group of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) following gastrointestinal lymphomas. The number of epidemiologic studies is small due to limited availability and limited comparability on population-based data.