Mole modifications following controlled ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction technologies.

BACKGROUND: The role of estrogens on moles biology remains undefined although estrogenic receptors have been found on melanocytes. It has been postulated that supraphysiological estrogen levels could promote the progression of moles to melanoma. Women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are exposed to high levels of estrogens, produced by the ovary in response to exogenous gonadotropin administration. The aim of this study is to assess whether COS for ART may have an impact on mole structure and/or characteristics. METHODS: Women undergoing to ART for various infertility conditions were included in the study. Personal and clinical data were collected. Dermatoscopic features and scores (total dermoscopy score--TDS) were statistically compared before COS and after a 6-month follow-up period. Statistical correlation was performed between estradiol, FSH blood levels and relative variation in moles dimensions. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients were included in the study. One hundred and seventy-five melanocytic lesions from 31 patients were evaluated at both time points. Although statistically significant differences were found in mole dimension and TDS between the two time points, these differences had no relevance in the clinical setting not suggesting the need for mole excision. Moreover, the only statistically significant correlation with estradiol blood concentration on hCG administration day was found with one-axis dimensional variation. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the first work to evaluate the effect of COS on moles. The obtained results do not support a causal relation between the supraphysiological hormone levels stimulation and worsening of clinical and dermoscopical features of moles. Further study is needed to clarify whether estrogens plays a role in melanoma.

Cancer risk in dermatomyositis: a systematic review of the literature.

The association between idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) and cancer has been extensively studied in adults. Many epidemiological studies demonstrated this association, which appears stronger for dermatomyositis (DM) than for polymyositis (PM). The first case suggesting an association between cancer and DM was reported in 1916. At present the reported incidence of cancer association with DM varies widely, from less than 7% to over 30%. Many early evidences came from case reports, but this association was later confirmed in case-control as well as in population-based studies. Ovarian cancer or breast cancer in females and lung cancer in males are the main malignancies associated with DM. Given the frequency of the association of dermatomyositis with cancer, for cost-effectiveness reasons it might be important to develop simple and appropriate diagnostic tests for identification of patients with DM, who may be at higher risk of developing a malignancy. Clinicians should plan follow-up schedules to optimize both cancer detection and treatment, and thus to improve patient survival. Many different clinical and serological signs have been suggested as possible predictive factors for malignancy in dermatomyositis: age, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), presence of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis, cutaneous rash and skin lesions as cutaneous necrosis and periungueal erythemas, neoplastic markers or dysphagia. The results of the different studies are quite discordant. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature to evaluate the level of the risk of cancer in patients with dermatomyositis and to explore whether certain patient characteristics may be linked to different levels of cancer risk.

Vitiligo associated with other autoimmune diseases: polyglandular autoimmune syndrome types 3B+C and 4.

Vitiligo is a common skin disease characterized by depigmented maculae resulting from a reduction of the number and function of melanocytes. Many studies suggest that vitiligo might be an autoimmune disease. Vitiligo has been frequently described in association with other autoimmune diseases. Among the diseases described in association with vitiligo are the so-called autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS). Vitiligo can be present in all types of APS but the most frequent association appears to be in APS-3. APS-3 was defined as the association between autoimmune thyroiditis and another autoimmune disease. Here we report one patient with thyroiditis, vitiligo and autoimmune gastritis (APS-3B+C), one patient with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, vitiligo and alopecia (APS-3C), and one case of a young patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus and vitiligo (APS-4), according to the newest classification. We stress the importance of a thorough assessment for autoimmune diseases in selected patients with vitiligo.