Incidence of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ Upstaged to Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma During Mohs Surgery.

Objective: We sought to record the incidence and risk factors associated with upstaging squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) during Mohs surgery with the largest sample size to date. Methods: Patient records of preoperative biopsy-proven SCCIS being treated with Mohs between January 2019 to March 2022 were identified and reviewed. Postoperative diagnoses of invasive SCC proven by dermal infiltration on pathology were identified as upstaged SCCIS. Results: From 2,043 cases of preoperative diagnosed SCCIS, 47 (2.3%) were upstaged to SCC during Mohs surgery. Of the 47 invasive tumors, a large proportion on the hands (29.8%) and lesions with larger preoperative sizes had a higher risk of being upstaged to invasive SCC in this study. Limitations: All of the patients included were from rural and suburban areas of North Carolina. The only sections obtained were those reviewed for margin analysis, which may significantly underestimate the actual number of invasive SCC, as only the deepest and furthest portions were examined. Conclusion: This retrospective study concluded that 2.3 percent of preoperatively diagnosed SCCIS were upstaged to SCC during treatment with Mohs surgery. Large lesions (>2cm) and lesions on the hand were more likely to be upstaged (29.8%). Treatment must be individualized considering the size of the lesion, the anatomic location, and the possibility that in some cases the initial biopsy may not have been able to accurately distinguish SCCIS from SCC. Although there is a myriad of treatment options for SCC, select patients with increased risk factors for upstaged SCC must be considered for margin assessed treatment modalities.

Cutaneous Manifestations of Sarcoidosis Seen in a Patient with a History of Tuberous Sclerosis.

This case report details a patient with a history of tuberous sclerosis presenting with new-onset cutaneous lesions that turn out to be sarcoidosis. There may be a shared dysfunction of mTOR present in sarcoidosis and tuberous sclerosis. As a dermatologist, it is worth understanding the cutaneous manifestations of both diseases and maintaining a wide differential when new lesions arise in a patient with a history of either disorder.

Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis following the First Dose of the Elasomeran COVID-19 Vaccination.

Our case highlights leukocytoclastic vasculitis as a potential side effect of the elasomeran COVID-19 vaccine. As the elasomeran vaccine becomes more widely available to the public, cutaneous reactions should be noted and looked for as potential side effects of the vaccine. Our patient had a history of immune thrombocytopenic purpura, making this a potential predisposing condition to the development of vasculitis following elasomeran administration. The case of vasculitis in our patient, although diffuse in distribution, was self-resolving. Our patient was counseled of the potential risk of worsening reaction to the second dose of the vaccine and instructed to proceed at their own risk. He elected to receive the second vaccination dose without any further reaction or side effects. Primary teaching points from this case include the potential of developing leukocytoclastic vasculitis following the elasomeran vaccination. Patients who develop LCV following the first dose should be counseled of the risks associated with receiving the second dose, including progression to systemic organ involvement.

Granuloma annulare on the palms.

We present the case of a 72-year-old man with a one-week history of a red rash on the palms of both hands. A 4mm punch biopsy revealed interstitial granulomatous inflammation within the dermis and a colloidal iron stain showed increased dermal acid mucin. Immunohistochemical staining for CD68 confirmed the presence of abundant histiocytes within the dermis. The clinical and pathological correlation was consistent with the diagnosis of interstitial granuloma annulare. Exclusive involvement of the palms is a rare presentation and serves as a reminder for practitioners to keep granuloma annulare in their differential diagnosis when observing palmar plaques.

Cutaneous Plasmacytosis Associated with Ehrlichiosis in an African-American Patient.

Cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare disease that presents clinically with multiple red-brown papules and plaques with minimal to no epidermal change. Histopathologic findings include a perivascular dermal infiltration of polyclonal plasma cells. The etiology of cutaneous plasmacytosis is unknown, but hypothesized to be due to persistent or repeated antigenic stimulation. Ehrlichia represents a family of obligate intracellular bacteria that have been associated with the development of plasma cell dyscrasias in the veterinary literature. We present a case of a 67-year-old male patient with the development of progressively worsening cutaneous plasmacytosis following prolonged hospitalization secondary to ehrlichiosis sepsis. The patient initially presented with isolated cutaneous involvement and normal laboratory findings that eventually progressed to include multiple laboratory abnormalities, including anemia, hyperproteinemia, and elevated serum creatinine. Further diagnostic workup was declined by the patient despite evidence of progression to systemic plasmacytosis or multiple myeloma.

A review of intralesional wart therapy.

BACKGROUND: New treatment options for warts include intralesional wart injection with agents such as vitamin D, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine antigen, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) antigen, and candida antigen but there have been limited studies to compare their efficacies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to compare the efficacy and safety of injectable agents used for the treatment of warts. METHODS: A PubMed search included terms "intralesional wart therapy," "wart injection" and "verruca injection." Articles reviewed were published over 10 years. RESULTS: A total of 43 articles were reviewed; 30 covered studies with more than 10 participants and 13 were case reports, case series, and reviews. In comparison studies intralesional agents have equal or superior efficacy (66%-94.9%) compared to first-line salicylic acid or cryotherapy (65.5-76.5%). One advantage of intralesional injections is the rate of complete resolution of distant warts. LIMITATIONS: Each study varied in their agents, treatment interval, and treatment dose, making comparisons difficult. CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional wart injections are safe, affordable, and efficacious treatments for warts. Physicians should consider intralesional injections for patients with refractory warts, multiple warts, or warts in sensitive areas.

Adherence and resource use among psoriasis patients treated with biologics.

INTRODUCTION: The emergence of immune-modulating drugs such as biologics has altered the treatment landscape for psoriasis. However, their use presents high financial costs to patients and healthcare systems. Patient demographic and socioeconomic status may influence adherence to biologic medications and usage of healthcare resources. AREAS COVERED: We performed a systematic literature review to summarize the available evidence pertaining to biologic medication adherence and resource use. PubMed was searched using the terms 'psoriasis and adherence' and 'psoriasis biologics resource use.' EXPERT COMMENTARY: Psoriasis patients utilize many healthcare resources. Adherence rates are typically higher for biologics than for other psoriasis treatment categories. However, adherence rates are still suboptimal.