Melanoma amelanótico acral / Acral amelanotic melanoma

O melanoma amelanótico acral é raro e pode mimetizar muitas entidades, como poroma écrino, carcinoma de células escamosas, verruga plantar e úlceras crônicas. Devido a esta variedade de possíveis diagnósticos diferenciais, é um diagnóstico difícil e, muitas vezes, tardio. As características da dermatoscopia podem ajudar no diagnóstico precoce. O clínico deve ter esse diagnóstico em mente ao se deparar com uma lesão rosada, de crescimento progressivo e formato irregular, principalmente se localizada nas mãos e nos pés.

Acral amelanotic melanoma is rare and can mimic many entities, such as eccrine poroma, squamous cell carcinoma, plantar wart, and chronic ulcers. Due to the variety of possible differential diagnoses, it is a challenging and frequently late diagnosis. Dermoscopy features can help in early diagnosis. The dermatologist should keep this diagnosis in mind when faced with a pink, progressively growing, irregularly shaped lesion, mainly if located on the hands and feet.

Trastuzumab treatment of patients with early, HER2-positive breast cancer in 17 certified German breast cancer centers.

PURPOSE: Since 2008, guidelines recommend that patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer (BC) should receive adjuvant chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab in Germany. However, recent studies highlight that a substantial share of patients do not receive trastuzumab. We investigate which patient characteristics are associated with a tumor board recommendation for trastuzumab in Breast Cancer Centers (BCC) certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG) and the German Society for Senology, and if the recommendation differs between BCCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multi-level modeling was performed using quality assurance data based on 3052 HER2-positive, operated patients with a first diagnosis of early BC treated between 2006 and 2019 in 17 BCCs in Germany to investigate whether trastuzumab recommendation varies with patient sex, age, and disease characteristics, as well as over time and across BCCs. RESULTS: Tumor board recommendations for trastuzumab differ substantially between BCCs (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] null model: 0.11). Our final model (ICC 0.17, Akaike Information Criterion [AIC], 1328.0, R2 0.69) shows that physicians in BCCs more often recommend trastuzumab to patients who are younger than 60 years and those with a recommendation for any additional therapy (chemotherapy, radiation or endocrine therapy) (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, there is a significant time-dependent increase of trastuzumab recommendations (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31-1.46, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In certified BCCs in Germany, guideline concordant trastuzumab recommendation is increasing since 2006 (positive cohort effect). Recommendation of trastuzumab for HER2-positive BC patients in BCCs is significantly associated with patients' age and the recommendations for other additional therapy strategies, apart from surgery. The quality assurance data analyzed do not include potentially relevant confounders, such as socioeconomic status or comorbidities.

Carcinoma basocelular de couro cabeludo x alopecia frontal fibrosante: desafio diagnóstico e terapêutico / Basal cell carcinoma of the scalp x frontal fibrosing alopecia: diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

O carcinoma basocelular é considerado a neoplasia mais comum do mundo, tem como principal fator de risco a radiação ultravioleta, pode aparecer em todo o corpo incluindo couro cabeludo. A alopecia frontal fibrosante é uma alopecia cicatricial primária, variante do líquen planopilar. A associação entre as duas patologias não tem relato prévio na literatura. Neste caso apresenta-se paciente feminina, pós-menopausa, atendida por queixa de queda de cabelo, com diagnóstico histopatológico de alopecia frontal fibrosante e carcinoma basocelular de couro cabeludo. A distinção das margens tumorais para exérese completa da neoplasia é complexa apenas pela dermatoscopia e exame físico, devido á presença de áreas de atrofia em comum. Então se optou pela cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs para delimitação histopatológica de margens.

BCC is considered the most common neoplasia in the world, it can appear throughout the body including the scalp. Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a primary scarring alopecia, variant of lichen planopilaris. The association between the two pathologies has not been previously reported in the literature. In this case it is presented a brazilian female patient complaining of hair loss, with histopathological diagnosis of AFF and scalp BCC. The distinction of tumor margins for neoplastic excision is complex only by dermoscopy and physical examination, due to areas of common atrophy. So Mohs micrographic surgery was chosen for histopathological delimitation of margins.

Use of social service counseling by cancer patients: an analysis of quality assurance data of 6339 breast cancer patients from 13 certified centers in Germany treated between 2015 and 2017.

BACKGROUND: Integrated social care may help to mitigate social risk factors in order to achieve more equitable health outcomes. In cancer centers certified according to the criteria set out by the German Cancer Society, every patient must be given low-threshold access to qualified social workers at the center for in-house social service counseling (SSC). Previous analyses have demonstrated large variation in the utilization of these services across individual centers. Therefore, this research aims at investigating whether SSC utilization varies regarding breast cancer patient characteristics and center characteristics presenting a unique approach of using routine data. METHODS: Multilevel modeling was performed using quality assurance data based on 6339 patients treated in 13 certified breast cancer centers in Germany in order to investigate whether SSC utilization varies with patient sex, age, and disease characteristics as well as over time and across centers. RESULTS: In the sample, 80.3% of the patients used SSC. SSC use varies substantially between centers for the unadjusted model (ICC = 0.24). Use was statistically significantly (P < .001) more likely in women, patients with invasive (in comparison to tumor in situ/ductal carcinoma in situ) diseases (P < .001), patients with both breasts affected (P = .03), patients who received a surgery (P < .001), patients who were diagnosed in 2015 or 2017 compared to 2016 (P < .001) and patients older than 84 years as compared to patients between 55 and 64 years old (P = .002). CONCLUSION: The analysis approach allows a unique insight into the reality of cancer care. Sociodemographic and disease-related patient characteristics were identified to explain SSC use to some extent.

Carcinoma basocelular na vulva: um relato de caso de neoplasia cutânea em área especial / Basal cell carcinoma of the vulva: a case report of cutaneous neoplasia in a special area

O carcinoma basocelular (CBC) é o câncer de pele mais comum.¹ Entre os fatores de risco para seu desenvolvimento estão a exposição a radiações ionizantes e não ionizantes, alguns produtos químicos e cicatrizes prévias.² Porém, o fator mais importante é a exposição à radiação ultravioleta, o que explica a maior incidência dessa neoplasia em áreas fotoexpostas. O CBC em áreas não expostas é incomum. O objetivo deste relato é descrever um caso de CBC recorrente na vulva, demonstrar a importância do exame dermatológico em áreas incomuns e relatar a aplicação da cirurgia micrográfica de Mohs.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer¹. Among the risk factors for its development are exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, some chemicals, and previous scars.² However, the most important factor is exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which explains the higher incidence of this neoplasm in photo-exposed areas.¹ BCC in unexposed areas is uncommon. The purpose of this report is to describe a case of recurrent BCC in the vulva, to demonstrate the importance of dermatological examination in unusual areas, and to report the application of Mohs micrographic surgery

Analysis of patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma in the last six years in Hospital Erasto Gaertner: epidemiologic profile.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is one of the conditions with greater increase in incidence worldwide in recent decades. It is a skin cancer with potential high lethality and predominates in Caucasian adults. Treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma is essentially surgical and search for sentinel lymph node can modify the aggressiveness of the treatment. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma, histopathological features and compare with literature data. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational, single-center, case series study of patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, who underwent surgery between January 2008 and December 2013. The parameters include: Age, sex, clinical stage, date of surgery, tumor location, histological subtype, condition of surgical margins, Breslow thickness, mitotic index, presence of ulceration and metastasis on admission. RESULTS: We included 321 melanoma patients who were treated at Hospital Erasto Gaertner. The population consisted of 58.9% females and 41.1% males with an average age of 52.8 ± 16.3 years. As for the clinical stage, 51.1% were in the initial stage, 24.3% in the clinical stage II (A, B and C), 21.2% in clinical stage III and 3.4% with distant metastases. The most frequent location of the primary melanoma was the trunk, and the histological subtype was superficial spreading pattern. Intermediate and thick melanomas were the most frequent. STUDY LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study and some information and data could be incomplete or absent. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis and treatment of melanoma in early stages provides less morbidity and improved survival of patients. Understanding the biological behavior of tumor and knowing the local epidemiology guide health strategies.

Analysis of patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma in the last six years in Hospital Erasto Gaertner: epidemiologic profile

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Melanoma is one of the conditions with greater increase in incidence worldwide in recent decades. It is a skin cancer with potential high lethality and predominates in Caucasian adults. Treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma is essentially surgical and search for sentinel lymph node can modify the aggressiveness of the treatment. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma, histopathological features and compare with literature data. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational, single-center, case series study of patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, who underwent surgery between January 2008 and December 2013. The parameters include: Age, sex, clinical stage, date of surgery, tumor location, histological subtype, condition of surgical margins, Breslow thickness, mitotic index, presence of ulceration and metastasis on admission. RESULTS: We included 321 melanoma patients who were treated at Hospital Erasto Gaertner. The population consisted of 58.9% females and 41.1% males with an average age of 52.8 ± 16.3 years. As for the clinical stage, 51.1% were in the initial stage, 24.3% in the clinical stage II (A, B and C), 21.2% in clinical stage III and 3.4% with distant metastases. The most frequent location of the primary melanoma was the trunk, and the histological subtype was superficial spreading pattern. Intermediate and thick melanomas were the most frequent. STUDY LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study and some information and data could be incomplete or absent. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis and treatment of melanoma in early stages provides less morbidity and improved survival of patients. Understanding the biological behavior of tumor and knowing the local epidemiology guide health strategies.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planus pigmentosus: diagnosis and therapeutic challenge.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a variant of lichen planopilaris with marginal progressive hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows and axillae. We report a case of frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planus pigmentosus in a postmenopausal woman, that started with alopecia on the eyebrows and then on the frontoparietal region, with periocular and cervical hyperpigmentation of difficult management. The condition was controlled with systemic corticosteroid therapy and finasteride. Lichen planus pigmentosus is an uncommon variant of lichen planus frequently associated with frontal fibrosing alopecia in darker phototipes. It should be considered in patients affected by scarring alopecia with a pattern of lichen planopilaris and areas of skin hyperpigmentation revealing perifollicular hyperpigmentation refractory to multiple treatments. This case illustrates diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in face of scarring alopecia and perifollicular hyperpigmentation.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planus pigmentosus: diagnosis and therapeutic challenge

Abstract Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a variant of lichen planopilaris with marginal progressive hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows and axillae. We report a case of frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planus pigmentosus in a postmenopausal woman, that started with alopecia on the eyebrows and then on the frontoparietal region, with periocular and cervical hyperpigmentation of difficult management. The condition was controlled with systemic corticosteroid therapy and finasteride. Lichen planus pigmentosus is an uncommon variant of lichen planus frequently associated with frontal fibrosing alopecia in darker phototipes. It should be considered in patients affected by scarring alopecia with a pattern of lichen planopilaris and areas of skin hyperpigmentation revealing perifollicular hyperpigmentation refractory to multiple treatments. This case illustrates diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in face of scarring alopecia and perifollicular hyperpigmentation.

New potential diagnostic biomarkers for pulmonary hypertension.

This study aimed to determine whether the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members soluble VEGF receptor 1 (also called soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1)) and placental growth factor (PlGF) could be used as biomarkers for pulmonary hypertension (PH). Consecutive patients undergoing right heart catheterisation were enrolled (those with mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mmHg were classed as having PH; those with mean pulmonary arterial pressure <25 mmHg acted as non-PH controls). Plasma from the time of PH diagnosis was analysed for PlGF and sFlt-1 using enzyme immunoassays. In total, 247 patients with PH were enrolled: 62 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), 14 with associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (APAH), 21 with collagen vascular disease (CVD), 26 with pulmonary venous hypertension, 67 with lung disease-associated PH and 57 with chronic thromboembolic PH. The non-PH control group consisted of 40 patients. sFlt-1 plasma levels were significantly higher in patients with IPAH, APAH, CVD and lung disease-associated PH versus controls; PlGF levels were significantly higher in all PH groups versus controls. The combination of sFlt-1 and PlGF resulted in a sensitivity of 83.7% with specificity of 100% for pulmonary arterial hypertension. There was no association between sFlt-1 or PlGF and haemodynamic parameters, 6-min walking distance or survival. In summary, PlGF and sFlt-1 are promising diagnostic biomarkers for PH.