Long-Term Improvement of Different Types of Acne Vulgaris Using a Mild Photodynamic Therapy Protocol with BF-200 ALA Gel: A Series of Cases.

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be a promising alternative for patients with acne vulgaris. Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of red light photodynamic therapy with BF-200 ALA gel in the treatment of different types of acne vulgaris. Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational study of a series of 22 cases. All patients were treated according to a mild PDT protocol. After a careful wash of the affected skin areas, BF-200 ALA gel was applied to the skin in a thin layer and incubated for 30 min, followed by illumination using narrow-spectrum red light (635 nm) at a dose of 4 J/cm2. Most patients received one (36.4%), two (27.3%), or three (22.7%) PDT sessions. About a third of the patients received concomitant acne treatment with topical retinoids. Results: Patients of 25.1 ± 8.9 years suffering from papulopustular (45.5%), nodular (27.3%), and comedonal acne (27.3%) in the face were included. Irrespective of acne type or severity, 95.5% of patients had good or excellent responses to the treatment with PDT (≥60% lesion clearance). We found no association between concomitant acne medication and the favorable results achieved by PDT. Most patients reported no adverse events (72.7%), except for six patients who experienced erythema. The good efficacy results were maintained over a follow-up period of 12.5 ± 10.8 months. Conclusions: In this study, we show that PDT with BF-200 ALA gel and low light dose is an effective and long-lasting option for the treatment of different acne types.

Treatment of extramammary Paget's disease with imiquimod in a real-life setting: a multicenter retrospective analysis in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Topical imiquimod has shown to be an effective treatment for EMPD, although available evidence supporting its use is based on case reports and small series of patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic outcomes and analyze potential clinico-pathological factors associated with imiquimod response in a large cohort of EMPD patients. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 125 EMPD patients treated with imiquimod at 20 Spanish tertiary-care hospitals. RESULTS: During the study period, patients received 134 treatment regimens with imiquimod, with 70 (52.2%) cases achieving complete response (CR), 41 (30.6%) partial response and 23 (17.2%) no response. The cumulative CR rates at 24 and 48 weeks of treatment were 46.3% and 71.8%, respectively, without significant differences between first-time and previously treated EMPD. Larger lesions (≥6 cm; p = 0.038) and EMPD affecting >1 anatomical site (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with a worse treatment response. However, the CR rate did not differ significantly by the number of treatment applications (≤4 vs. > 4 times/week; p = 0.112). Among patients who achieved CR, 30 (42.9%) developed local recurrences during a mean follow-up period of 36 months, with an estimated 3 and 5-year recurrence free-survival of 55.7% and 36.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Imiquimod appears as an effective therapeutic alternative for both first-line and previously treated EMPD lesions. However, a less favorable therapeutic response could be expected in larger lesions and those affecting >1 anatomical site. Based on our results, a 3-4 times weekly regimen of imiquimod with a treatment duration of at least 6 months could be considered an appropriate therapeutic strategy for EMPD patients.

Combined Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Combined Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have classically been regarded as more aggressive than conventional, pure, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-positive MCC. It is still unknown whether combined MCC and SCC are more aggressive than pure, MCPyV-negative MCC, and the origin of both the SCC and MCC elements of these combined tumors has not been elucidated. The main objective of this systematic review was to assess whether combined MCC and SCC tumors are associated with a worse prognosis than pure MCC; the secondary goals were the characterization of the clinical and histopathological features of these combined neoplasms. A total of 38 studies, including 152 patients, were selected for review. In total, 76% of the cases were MCPyV-negative, whereas 4% were MCPyV-positive. The most frequent histopathological pattern was that of an SCC in situ combined with a dermal MCC (36%), followed by both an in situ and invasive SCC combined with a dermal MCC (20%). Forty-seven percent of all cases fitted in the morphology of the so-called "collision tumors". Three combined MCC cases that would fit in the morphological category of collision tumors presented both squamous and neuroendocrine elements in their respective nodal metastases. The mean overall survival was 36 months, comparable to that of pure, MCPyV-negative MCC. This review found similarly aggressive behavior for combined MCC and SCC and pure, MCPyV-negative MCC. Preliminary data strongly suggest that all MCPyV-negative MCC tumors, whether combined or pure, are part of a common spectrum.

Therapeutic outcomes and survival analysis of Extramammary Paget's disease: A multicentre retrospective study of 249 patients.

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding long-term therapeutic outcomes and disease-specific survival (DSS) in Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is limited. OBJECTIVES: To assess the DSS and outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical therapeutic modalities in a large cohort of EMPD patients. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of EMPD patients from 20 Spanish tertiary care hospitals. RESULTS: Data on 249 patients with a median follow-up of 60 months were analyzed. The estimated 5-, 10-, and 15-year DSS was 95.9%, 92.9%, and 88.5%, respectively. A significantly lower DSS was observed in patients showing deep dermal invasion (≥1 mm) or metastatic disease (P < .05). A ≥50% reduction in EMPD lesion size was achieved in 100% and 75.3% of patients treated with surgery and topical therapies, respectively. Tumor-free resection margins were obtained in 42.4% of the patients after wide local excision (WLE). The 5-year recurrence-free survival after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), WLE with tumor-free margins, WLE with positive margins, radiotherapy, and topical treatments was 63.0%, 51.4%, 20.4%, 30.1%, and 20.8%, respectively. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: EMPD is usually a chronic condition with favorable prognosis. MMS represents the therapeutic alternative with the greatest efficacy for the disease. Recurrence rates in patients with positive margins after WLE are similar to the ones observed in patients treated with topical agents.

Topical Imiquimod in Primary Cutaneous Extramammary Paget's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is subclinical in extent and multifocal in nature. There is no global consensus for treatment, so its management represents a challenge in clinical practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review through the main electronic databases to assess the effectiveness of topical imiquimod in cutaneous EMPD and to discuss its management. Finally, 24 studies involving a total of 233 EMPD patients treated with topical imiquimod were selected. The topical imiquimod response rate was 67%, and the complete response (CR) rate was 48%. Patients were treated with a three-four times a week regimen in most cases, ranging between 2 to 52 weeks. In addition, imiquimod was applied as an adjunctive treatment in 21 patients, achieving a CR rate of 71%. Consequently, imiquimod therapy could achieve a good response ratio as a first-line treatment, as adjuvant and neo-adjuvant therapy, and as a treatment for recurrent disease. The heterogeneity between studies and the lack of a control arm made it impossible to conduct a meta-analysis. To improve the quality of evidence on EMPD, multicenter studies are essential to collect a larger number of patients and, consequently, obtain high-quality evidence to standardize treatment. The Prospero registration number is CRD42023447443.

Tumor Microenvironment and Its Clinicopathologic and Prognostic Association in Cutaneous and Noncutaneous Angiosarcomas.

OBJECTIVES: We explored features of the angiosarcoma (AS) tumor microenvironment to discover subtypes that may respond to immunotherapy. METHODS: Thirty-two ASs were included. Tumors were studied by histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and gene expression profile using the HTG EdgeSeq Precision Immuno-Oncology Assay. RESULTS: Comparing cutaneous and noncutaneous ASs, the second group showed 155 deregulated genes, and unsupervised hierarchical clustering (UHC) delineated two groups: the first mostly cutaneous AS and the second mainly noncutaneous AS. Cutaneous ASs showed a significantly higher proportion of T cells, natural killer cells, and naive B cells. ASs without MYC amplification revealed a higher immunoscore in comparison with ASs with MYC amplification. PD-L1 was significantly overexpressed in ASs without MYC amplification. UHC showed 135 deregulated genes differentially expressed when comparing ASs from the non-head and neck area with patients who had AS in the head and neck area. ASs from the head and neck area showed high immunoscore. PD1/PD-L1 content was significantly more highly expressed in ASs from the head and neck area. IHC and HTG gene expression profiling revealed a significant correlation between PD1, CD8, and CD20 protein expression but not PD-L1. CONCLUSIONS: Our HTG analyses confirmed a high degree of tumor and microenvironment heterogeneity. Cutaneous ASs, ASs without MYC amplification, and ASs located in the head and neck area seem to be the most immunogenic subtypes in our series.

Trichoepithelioma on the Finger: A Rare Location and Dermoscopic-Histopathologic Correlation.

ABSTRACT: Trichoepithelioma is a benign adnexal neoplasm of follicular germinative cells, with bulbs, papillae, and sheaths of perifollicular connective tissue as signs of follicular differentiation. Accordingly, trichoepithelioma may arise in any hair-bearing location, mostly on the face. That is why trichoepithelioma cannot appear in glabrous skin, and, although the dorsum of the hands and feet are a hair-bearing area, acral location is exceptional. We report the first case of trichoepithelioma localized in the finger of a 79-year-old man. It was a brown-pink, firm, 7-mm diameter, solid papule on the dorsal aspect of his left index finger. The lesion was completely asymptomatic, and he remembered to have it for many years. We describe this case highlighting its rare anatomical location and correlate its dermoscopic features with the histopathological appearance.

Combined Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with lymph node metastases: Report of two cases.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an infrequent, aggressive cutaneous neoplasm, that typically affects the photodamaged skin of elderly individuals, and immunosuppressed patients. Because a subset of MCC is closely related to UV radiation, MCC can develop concurrently with other tumors, most commonly, as a combined tumor with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These combined tumors appear to represent a distinct disease process from pure MCC, as they are mostly Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) negative, and show a more aggressive behavior. We present two additional cases of combined MCC and SCC with nodal metastases, one of which was MCPyV positive. Two different subtypes of MCC have been proposed based on their origin: a true neuroendocrine carcinoma, that is MCPyV positive and has a dermal origin, and a UV-related SCC with neuroendocrine differentiation. This theory could explain why MCC can develop concurrently with SCC, and why these combined cases are generally MCPyV negative. However, it fails to explain the minority of combined MCC and SCC tumors that are MCPyV positive. Because both our patients had a history of chronic UV exposure, we hypothesize that UV radiation probably played a major role in the pathogenesis of these tumors, while MCPyV integration probably acted as an additional trigger.

Cutaneous Ossifying Amyloidoma.

ABSTRACT: Amyloidoma, otherwise known as tumoral amyloidosis, is a localized deposition of amyloid (AL-type or AA type) without systemic amyloidosis. It is the rarest form of tissue amyloid deposition, and up to 7% of amyloidomas develop systemic amyloidosis.Cutaneous AL-type amyloidoma is considered by many authors as an unusual variant of primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma. Although cutaneous amyloidoma can form calcifications, ossification is extremely unusual, with only 1 case previously published to date.We report the case of a 75-year-old woman with voluminous and strikingly ossifying AL-type amyloidoma in the left pretibial skin. Her medical history included excision of hepatic hydatidic cysts 25 years prior and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the left parotid gland 8 years prior treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy with complete response. After the diagnosis of amyloidoma, an extension study with cervical, chest, abdominal, and pelvic TC was performed, with no additional lesions found. Serum and protein electrophoresis revealed elevations in kappa light chain and IgA immunoglobulin levels but did not reveal monoclonal bands. In situ hybridization for immunoglobulin light chains showed monotypic kappa expression in plasma cells infiltrating the amyloidoma.Extensive ossification in amyloidomas can make diagnosis difficult; therefore, we describe an interesting case of this histopathologically peculiar amyloidoma.

Determination of Margins for Tumor Clearance in Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: A Single-Center Study of 222 Cases Treated With Modified Mohs Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is an invasive skin tumor traditionally associated with very high recurrence rates when treated with conventional surgery (CS). OBJECTIVE: To calculate the minimum margin that would have been required to achieve complete tumor clearance with hypothetical CS. To analyze DFSP characteristics and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) effectiveness in treatment of this tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Minimum margin was calculated by measuring the largest distance from the visible edge of the tumor to the edge of the surgical defect. Tumor variables (age, sex, size, time since onset, and location) were correlated with surgical variables (number of stages and minimum margin). RESULTS: We studied 222 cases of DFSP treated with MMS. A mean of 1.47 MMS stages and a mean minimum margin of 1.23 cm were required to achieve tumor clearance. Tumors on the head and neck required significantly more stages and a significantly wider margin. Tumor size was positively correlated with time to diagnosis, age, and number of MMS stages. CONCLUSION: Tumors located on the head and neck have greater subclinical extension. Tumor size was also a predictor of surgical difficulty, but time to diagnosis was not.

Clinical and pathological features of Merkel cell carcinoma: A 4-year follow-up observational retrospective study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a malignant skin cancer with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 50%. Knowledge of MCC has increased in recent years mostly due to improved diagnosis techniques. In Spain there is lack of information regarding the incidence and tumour characteristics, and the treatment approaches are not standardised. The objective of this study was to provide information of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of MCC patients in Spain. METHODS: Retrospective, observational study involving 192 patients from 25 Spanish hospitals. Evaluated variables included overall survival and incidence rate of Merkel cell polyomavirus, in patients diagnosed from 2012 to 2016. RESULTS: The Spanish incidence rate was estimated 0.32/100,000 inhabitants/year, with variations according to geographical regions, being slightly higher in areas with greater sunlight exposure. In total, 61.5% of tumours showed expansive growth (progressive growth of the tumour), 78.6% showed localisation in UV-exposed skin. 97.4% of patients were diagnosed by excisional biopsy. Surgery was the first line treatment in 96.6% of patients, radiotherapy in 24.6%, and chemotherapy in 6.3%. These treatments were not mutually exclusive. Median overall survival was 38.3 months (78.4% at 12 months and 60% at 24 months). MCPyV was present in 33.8% of patients. CONCLUSION: The incidence of MCC in Spain is one of the highest in Europe, with a slight predominance in men. The sample has shown that a biopsy is available for diagnosis in most cases. Moreover, the treatment is surgical when the tumour is localized and is associated with lymphadenectomy, and/or it is radiotherapy if widespread.

Usefulness of ultrasound in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and correlation with histopathological findings: A series of 30 cases.

BACKGROUND: Small series of ultrasound findings in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) have been published, but the usefulness of this technique as a preoperative planning tool for tumor resection has not been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with DFSP at our hospital that underwent ultrasound examination. Depth of invasion was evaluated by ultrasound and histopathology. Accuracy of ultrasound for assessing depth of tumor invasion was estimated. RESULTS: Thirty histopathologically confirmed DFSPs were studied. Classic finger-like projections were observed in 73.3% of cases. A posterior hyperechoic area extending deep into the subcutaneous tissue correlated with the honeycomb DFSP pattern and was observed in 53.3% of patients. Concordance between ultrasound and histopathologic depth measurements was excellent. Lateral tumor extension and Doppler activity were not evaluated in our series. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound showed excellent prediction of depth of invasion. Further studies are required to define the usefulness of ultrasound for determining lateral tumor extension.

Angiosarcomas: histology, immunohistochemistry and molecular insights with implications for differential diagnosis.

Angiosarcomas (AS) represent a heterogenous group of tumors with variable clinical presentation. AS share an important morphologic and immunohistochemical overlap with other sarcomas, hence the differential diagnosis is challenging, especially in poorly-differentiated tumors. Although molecular studies provide significant clues, especially in the differential diagnosis with other vascular neoplasms, a thorough hematoxylin and eosin analysis remains an essential tool in AS diagnosis. In this review, we discuss pathological and molecular insights with emphasis on implications for differential diagnosis in cutaneous, breast, soft tissue and visceral AS.

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma: a retrospective study of 16 cases in a dermato-oncology centre and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Relatively little is known about the true aggressive potential of pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) or optimal management strategies. OBJECTIVE: To describe the outcomes of 16 cases of PDS treated at our hospital (14 with modified Mohs micrographic surgery [M-MMS] and two with conventional surgery) and establish an adequate plan for management. MATERIALS & METHODS: We reviewed 16 PDS cases treated at our hospital between October 2007 and June 2019 and compared our results with the available evidence. RESULTS: In total, 69% of cases had recurred after initial conventional surgery, M-MMS led to local disease control in 83% of cases, and 19% of patients developed metastasis. Combining all published PDS cases with ours, we calculated an overall metastasis rate of 12%, and an overall recurrence rate of 35% after conventional surgery and 17% after M-MMS. CONCLUSION: PDS is more aggressive than previously estimated, with an overall metastatic rate of 12%. Despite high recurrence rates with previous conventional surgery (69%), M-MMS achieved a good rate of local disease control (83%). Given the potential aggressivity of PDS and the importance of clear surgical margins, M-MMS appears to be more adequate than conventional excision. Staging studies and close monitoring are warranted in PDS patients, for which we propose a management algorithm.

Coding and noncoding somatic mutations in candidate genes in basal cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) represents the most commonly diagnosed human cancer among persons of European ancestry with etiology mainly attributed to sun-exposure. In this study we investigated mutations in coding and flanking regions of PTCH1 and TP53 and noncoding alterations in the TERT and DPH3 promoters in 191 BCC tumors. In addition, we measured CpG methylation within the TERT hypermethylated oncological region (THOR) and transcription levels of the reverse transcriptase subunit. We observed mutations in PTCH1 in 58.6% and TP53 in 31.4% of the tumors. Noncoding mutations in TERT and DPH3 promoters were detected in 59.2% and 38.2% of the tumors, respectively. We observed a statistically significant co-occurrence of mutations at the four investigated loci. While PTCH1 mutations tended to associate with decreased patient age at diagnosis; TP53 mutations were associated with light skin color and increased number of nevi; TERT and DPH3 promoter with history of cutaneous neoplasms in BCC patients. Increased reverse transcriptase subunit expression was observed in tumors with TERT promoter mutations and not with THOR methylation. Our study signifies, in addition to the protein altering mutations in the PTCH1 and TP53 genes, the importance of noncoding mutations in BCC, particularly functional alterations in the TERT promoter.

Predictive Value of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on the AJCC-8 and Brigham and Women's Hospital Staging Criteria.

BACKGROUND: Recommendations on when to perform sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) are lacking despite the tumor's clear predilection for lymphatic spread. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the frequency of SLN metastasis in published series of cSCC in the context of the eighth edition of the American joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC-8) and the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) staging criteria. METHODS: Systematic review of studies of patients with cSCC who underwent SLN biopsy that described biopsy results. RESULTS: In total, 153 patients with 24 positive SLN biopsies (15.7%) were included. Based on the AJCC-8 criteria positivity rates in the T2 and T3 categories were 8.3% (1/12 patients) and 25% (8/32), respectively. Using the BWH system there were, 2/33 in category T2a (6.5%), and 5/17 in category T2b (29.8%). On applying the same criteria to tumors of the trunk and extremities the results were similar. CONCLUSION: It would seem reasonable to recommend SLN biopsy for patients with AJCC-8 Stage T3+ disease or BWH Stage T2b/T3 disease. Both the AJCC-8 and the BWH systems would appear to be useful for staging cSCC of the trunk and extremities.