Promising Immune Treatment of Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Cemiplimab-Real-World Experience in the Global SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most frequent non-melanoma skin cancer. The standard curative treatment is surgical resection, but the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic disease apart from radiotherapy is currently based on cemiplimab. Cemiplimab has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of advanced and metastatic cSCC in clinical trials, although real-world data are still limited. We present four cases of cSCC, which showed a tremendous response to cemiplimab-one patient achieved complete response and three of them achieved partial response. Immunotherapy with cemiplimab, a recently approved PD1 inhibitor, is an important addition to the cutaneous oncology therapeutic options that may be considered in patients with advanced disease not amenable to surgery or radiotherapy. In all four cases, the patients postponed visits to the doctor because of the fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection or for administrative and organizational reasons declared difficult access to doctors caused by the pandemic.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Atopic Dermatitis Patients.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) can have a significantly negative impact on quality of life (QoL). The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the AD population is not yet well established. The study comprised 195 patients with diagnosed AD who were asked about their cognitive and preventive behaviors regarding COVID-19 and the accessibility of medical support, including online consultations. Moreover, the patients responded to the self-reported Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Most of the patients were worried about being infected with COVID-19. Most of the patients believed that people suffering from skin disease were more prone to be infected with COVID-19 compared with the general population. Most the patients negatively assessed the availability of dermatological treatment during the pandemic. Furthermore, 66.1% of the patients declared using telemedicine. Nearly 50% of patients were discontented with telemedicine, and 1/3 of the patients did not mind the use of telemedicine. AD during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a lower overall health rating and life satisfaction and impaired QoL related to mental health in a Polish population. These results provide original information that can be applied in dermatologic patient screenings to evaluate the state of depression and anxiety during the epidemic period.

COVID-19 in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis Treated with Dupilumab: Three Cases and a Literature Review.

There are limited clinical data on the impact of the SARS-CoV2 infection on patients with dermatological conditions treated with biologics. Dupilumab is a recombinant human IgG4 human monoclonal antibody that inhibits IL4 and IL13 signaling, and is used for moderate-severe atopic dermatitis treatment. We present three patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with dupilumab who contracted COVID-19. In all patients, the infection had a mild course, and only in one, as documented by SCORAD, EASI, and DLQI scores, the condition of the skin deteriorated, and a prolonged positive PCR COVID-19 test was observed. The mechanism of dupilumab action and more evidence for IL13 importance in lung damage caused by SARS-CoV2 suggest a possible explanation for a mild-moderate course of the infection in treated AD patients. Based on current knowledge, there is evidence to continue dupilumab treatment in AD patients with mild-moderate COVID-19; however, careful assessment is needed for each patient.