MiRNAs as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers for Metastasis in Thin and Thick Primary Cutaneous Melanomas.

Background/Aim: The identification of novel prognostic biomarkers for melanoma metastasis is essential to improve patient outcomes. To this aim, we characterized miRNA expression profiles in relation to metastasis in melanoma and correlated miRNAs expression with clinicalpathological factors. Materials and Methods: MiR-145-5p, miR-150-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-203-3p, miR-205-5p and miR211-5p expression levels were analyzed in primary cutaneous melanomas, including thin and thick melanomas, and in melanoma metastases by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Results: A significantly lower miR-205-5p expression was found in metastases compared to primary melanomas. Furthermore, a progressive down-regulation of miR-205-5p expression was observed from loco-regional to distant metastasis. Significantly lower miR-145-5p and miR-203-3p expression levels were found in cases with Breslow thickness >1 mm, high Clark level, ulceration and mitotic rate ≥1/mm2. Conclusion: Our findings point to miR-205-5p as potential biomarker of distant metastases and to miR-145-5p and miR-203-3p as markers of aggressiveness in melanoma

Metastases risk in thin cutaneous melanoma: Prognostic value of clinical-pathologic characteristics and mutation profile

Background: A high percentage of patients with thin melanoma (TM), defined as lesions with Breslow thickness ≤1 mm, presents excellent long-term survival, however, some patients develop metastases. Existing prognostic factors cannot reliably differentiate TM patients at risk for metastases. Objective: We aimed at characterizing the clinical-pathologic and mutation profile of metastatic and not-metastatic TM in order to distinguish lesions at risk of metastases. Methods: Clinical-pathologic characteristics were recorded for the TM cases analyzed. We used a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) multi-gene panel to characterize TM for multiple somatic mutations. Results: A statistically significant association emerged between the presence of metastases and Breslow thickness ≥0.6 mm (p=0.003). None of TM with lymph-node involvement had Breslow thickness < 0.6 mm. Somatic mutations were identified in 19 of 21 TM analyzed (90.5%). No mutations were observed in two not-metastatic cases with the lowest Breslow thickness (≤0.4 mm), whereas mutations in more than one gene were detected in one metastatic case with the highest Breslow thickness (1.00 mm). Conclusion: Our study indicates Breslow thickness ≥0.6 mm as a valid prognostic factor to distinguish TM at risk for metastases

Effectiveness of ixekizumab for the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis with involvement of difficult‐to‐treat areas: A 52‐week multicenter retrospective study

Biological drugs have dramatically changed the approach to treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, achieving excellent skin clearance and safety outcomes. However, the management of difficult-to-treat areas (e.g., scalp, palms/soles, nails, and genitalia) still represents a challenge in psoriasis treatment. Data in the literature on difficult-to-treat sites are limited and, frequently, no specific analysis is performed during clinical trials. We conducted a 52-week, retrospective study to evaluate the effectiveness of ixekizumab in 120 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis of at least one difficult-to-treat area (scalp, palmoplantar surfaces, nails, and genitalia). Ninety-nine patients had scalp psoriasis, 35 had involvement of the palms or soles, 27 were affected by genital psoriasis, and 22 patients reported involvement of the nails. After 1 year of treatment, 96% of patients with scalp involvement, 95.6% of patients with palmoplantar psoriasis, 95.2% of patients with genital psoriasis, and 85% of patients with nail involvement achieved a site-specific Physician's Global Assessment of 0 or 1 (clear or almost clear). No serious adverse events were observed during the study. Our study supports the effectiveness of ixekizumab in plaque psoriasis involving difficult-to-treat sites

MiRNAs as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers for Metastasis in Thin and Thick Primary Cutaneous Melanomas

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A new single red nodule on the abdomen of a woman with history of endometrial carcinoma: Noninvasive evaluation and histologic correlation

An 82-year-old woman was referred to our dermatology department from the oncology department with a new, well-demarcated, red papule on her abdomen (Fig 1). The patient had a history of endometrial carcinoma treated 3 years prior with extensive surgery and radiotherapy. She had been in complete remission for the past 2 years

Complete resolution and periodic recurrence of multiple postradiation atypical vascular lesions

Complete resolution and periodic recurrence of multiple postradiation atypical vascular lesions

Skin Cancer Microenvironment: What We Can Learn from Skin Aging?

Aging is a natural intrinsic process associated with the loss of fibrous tissue, a slower cell turnover, and a reduction in immune system competence. In the skin, the continuous exposition of environmental factors superimposes extrinsic damage, mainly due to ultraviolet radiation causing photoaging. Although not usually considered a pathogenic event, photoaging affects cutaneous biology, increasing the risk of skin carcinogenesis. At the cellular level, aging is typified by the rise of senescence cells a condition characterized by reduced or absent capacity to proliferate and aberrant hyper-secretory activity. Senescence has a double-edged sword in cancer biology given that senescence prevents the uncontrolled proliferation of damaged cells and favors their clearance by paracrine secretion. Nevertheless, the cumulative insults and the poor clearance of injured cells in the elderly increase cancer incidence. However, there are not conclusive data proving that aged skin represents a permissive milieu for tumor onset. On the other hand, tumor cells are capable of activating resident fibroblasts onto a pro-tumorigenic phenotype resembling those of senescent fibroblasts suggesting that aged fibroblasts might facilitate cancer progression. This review discusses changes that occur during aging that can prime neoplasm or increase the aggressiveness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer

Long-term management of pediatric psoriasis with ixekizumab: a case report

Psoriasis in pediatric patients is uncommon and the management of moderate-to-severe cases can be challenging. We report the case of a 17-year-old girl who presented with severe plaque psoriasis unresponsive to UVB phototherapy. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was 18 and the Dermatology Life Quality Index was 24. We decided to prescribe ixekizumab, observing complete skin clearance after only 8 weeks. The patient is still on treatment with no reported adverse events after two years

Remission of Extensive Merkel Cell Carcinoma After Electrochemotherapy

[No abstract available