ABSTRACT
AIMS: To assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab in refractory pemphigus and the possible benefit of an additional prophylactic infusion at 6 months. METHODS: Seventeen patients with pemphigus vulgaris, 1 with pemphigus foliaceus and 1 with pemphigus vegetans were treated with 4 weekly infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)). Nine patients received an additional prophylactic infusion after 6 months while the rest received no maintenance therapy. In case of recurrence, an additional single infusion was administered. RESULTS: Control of the disease was obtained after 3-8 weeks. End of the consolidation phase for all patients was observed after 16 weeks. Patients remained in full remission for 7-42 months. All immunosuppressive agents, including prednisone, were discontinued after 2-12 months. The disease relapsed in 5 out of 9 patients who received the additional prophylactic infusion, and in 3 out of 10 patients among those skipping the prophylactic additional infusion. CONCLUSION: One course of rituximab and treatment of relapses is highly effective and well tolerated in the treatment of refractory pemphigus. In this pilot study of 19 patients, the prophylactic infusion does not appear to have provided any additional benefit to the patients receiving it.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived/therapeutic use , Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use , Pemphigus/drug therapy , Adult , Aged , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived/administration & dosage , Dermatology , Female , Hospitals, University , Humans , Immunologic Factors/administration & dosage , Infusion Pumps , Male , Middle Aged , Pemphigus/diagnosis , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Recurrence , Rituximab , Treatment Failure , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Seborrhoeic keratosis is generally considered to be a benign lesion of the skin. OBSERVATION: We present the case of a 68-year-old male who presented with clinically typical seborrhoeic keratosis that later histological examination showed partially covered an occult basal cell carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To have an indication of what percentage of clinically apparent seborrhoeic keratoses may be associated with some form of histologically proven skin malignancy. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of approximately 23,000 histopathological examinations done on specimens from dermatological lesions. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (11.9%) clinically apparent seborrhoeic keratoses were later histologically diagnosed as basal cell carcinomas, 17 (3.4%) as squamous cell carcinomas, and five (1.01%) as malignant melanomas. CONCLUSIONS: Although the association of seborrhoeic keratosis and skin malignancy appears to be relatively uncommon, the possibility of such an association cannot be ruled out.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Basal Cell/pathology , Keratosis, Seborrheic/pathology , Precancerous Conditions/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Aged , Biopsy, Needle , Carcinoma, Basal Cell/diagnosis , Culture Techniques , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Keratosis, Seborrheic/diagnosis , Male , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosisABSTRACT
We describe four family members with respiratory and dermatological manifestations of olive pollen allergy. The purpose of this study was 1) to investigate whether these patients' sera react to the same or different olive allergens, and 2) to identify common HLA class II antigens.
Subject(s)
Hypersensitivity, Immediate/diagnosis , Magnoliopsida/immunology , Plant Proteins/immunology , Pollen/immunology , Child , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Female , Histocompatibility Testing , Humans , Hypersensitivity, Immediate/immunology , Immunoglobulin E/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Radioallergosorbent Test , Skin Tests , Trees/immunologySubject(s)
Bone Neoplasms/pathology , Femur , Osteosarcoma/secondary , Skin Neoplasms/secondary , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Biopsy, Needle , Bone Neoplasms/surgery , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Osteosarcoma/drug therapy , Osteosarcoma/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Skin Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Various antineoplastic agents can cause Raynaud's phenomenon, as can malignant diseases themselves. OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical characteristics of chemotherapy-induced Raynaud's phenomenon and compare them with those of malignancy-associated Raynaud's phenomenon. SUMMARY: Chemotherapy-induced Raynaud's phenomenon most commonly occurs in patients with testicular cancer who receive bleomycin either as a single agent or as part of a multiple-drug chemotherapeutic regimen. It tends to resolve spontaneously, especially after discontinuation of the inducing antineoplastic agent, and rarely causes significant functional impairment. However, it tends to recur with subsequent administration of the drug. In contrast, malignancy-associated Raynaud's phenomenon is rarer, causes more severe symptoms, and usually occurs in older patients with more advanced cancer. CONCLUSIONS: As more patients with cancer undergo chemotherapy, physicians should be aware of the potential delayed toxic effects of antineoplastic drugs.
