Kaposi's sarcoma in an HIV-positive person successfully treated with paclitaxel

Epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma is one of the malignant neoplasms, which can develop in HIV-infected patients. Although the prevalence of HIV infection is reported to be high in Asian countries, Kaposi's sarcoma is rarely reported. We report a case of Kaposi's sarcoma involving the skin and oral mucosa along with extensive bilateral lymphedema of lower extremities, treated successfully with paclitaxel and antiretrovirals

Digito-palmar dermatoglyphics in vitiligo – A case control study

AbstractBackgroundDermatoglyphics is a scientific study of epidermal ridges and their configuration on the volar skin. It is not established whether there is definite dermatoglyphic pattern which exists with vitiligo.ObjectivesTo study the finger and palmar dermatoglyphic patterns in vitiligo patients.MethodsThe study included a total 112 cases of vitiligo and 104 controls. Handprints of palmar surface and rolled fingerprints of 10 digits were subjected to detailed digito-palmar dermatoglyphic analysis.ResultsMale patients had increased percentage of total loops, total ulnar loops and finger ridge counts and increased true palmar patterns (TPP) in right hypothenar, right thenar and both interdigital area (ID)2. Decreased percentage of total radial loops, total whorls, total arches, TPP in right ID3, right ID4 and absolute finger ridge count was noted in male patients. Female cases showed an increased number of arches, true palmar pattern in right hypo- thenar, right ID1 and a-b ridge count along with decreased number of total loops, total ulnar loops, total radial loops, whorls, total finger ridge count, absolute finger ridge count, TPP in right ID2 and left ID3. In both the sexes, atd angle was found to be increased

Predicting the response to CTLA-4 blockade by longitudinal noninvasive monitoring of CD8 T cells

Immunotherapy using checkpoint-blocking antibodies against targets such as CTLA-4 and PD-1 can cure melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer in a subset of patients. The presence of CD8 T cells in the tumor correlates with improved survival. We show that immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) can visualize tumors by detecting infiltrating lymphocytes and, through longitudinal observation of individual animals, distinguish responding tumors from those that do not respond to therapy. We used 89 Zr-labeled PEGylated single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) specific for CD8 to track the presence of intratumoral CD8 + T cells in the immunotherapy-susceptible B16 melanoma model in response to checkpoint blockade. A 89 Zr-labeled PEGylated anti-CD8 VHH detected thymus and secondary lymphoid structures as well as intratumoral CD8 T cells. Animals that responded to CTLA-4 therapy showed a homogeneous distribution of the anti-CD8 PET signal throughout the tumor, whereas more heterogeneous infiltration of CD8 T cells correlated with faster tumor growth and worse responses. To support the validity of these observations, we used two different transplantable breast cancer models, yielding results that conformed with predictions based on the antimelanoma response. It may thus be possible to use immuno-PET and monitor antitumor immune responses as a prognostic tool to predict patient responses to checkpoint therapies.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01-AI087879-06)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant DP1-GM106409-03)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01-GM100518-04)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P01 CA080111

Kaposi's sarcoma in an HIV-positive person successfully treated with paclitaxel

Epidemic Kaposi′s sarcoma is one of the malignant neoplasms, which can develop in HIV-infected patients. Although the prevalence of HIV infection is reported to be high in Asian countries, Kaposi′s sarcoma is rarely reported. We report a case of Kaposi′s sarcoma involving the skin and oral mucosa along with extensive bilateral lymphedema of lower extremities, treated successfully with paclitaxel and antiretrovirals