Keratoacanthoma Centrifugum Marginatum with Spontaneous Regression and Its Possible Differential Diagnosis

Keratoacanthoma centrifugum marignatum (KCM) is a rare variant of keratoacanthoma, which is characterized by the dense infiltration of inflammatory cells throughout the dermis, especially around the keratinocytic islands. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between KCM and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. In this report, we describe a case of KCM with spontaneous regression that showed dense infiltration of CD3+CD8+ T cells. Our present case suggested the importance of investigating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to avoid the misdiagnosis of KCM as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Association of Baseline Serum Levels of CXCL5 With the Efficacy of Nivolumab in Advanced Melanoma

Anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) antibodies are in wide use for the treatment of various cancers. PD1 antibody-based immunotherapy, co-administration of nivolumab and ipilimumab, is one of the optimal immunotherapies, especially in advanced melanoma with high tumor mutation burden. Since this combined therapy leads to a high frequency of serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with advanced melanoma, biomarkers are needed to evaluate nivolumab efficacy to avoid serious irAEs caused by ipilimumab. This study analyzed baseline serum levels of CXCL5, CXCL10, and CCL22 in 46 cases of advanced cutaneous melanoma treated with nivolumab. Baseline serum levels of CXCL5 were significantly higher in responders than in non-responders. In contrast, there were no significant differences in baseline serum levels of CXCL10 and CCL22 between responders and non-responders. These results suggest that baseline serum levels of CXCL5 may be useful as a biomarker for identifying patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma most likely to benefit from anti-melanoma immunotherapy

Serum Level of Soluble CD163 May Be a Predictive Marker of the Effectiveness of Nivolumab in Patients With Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma

Antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are widely used for treating various cancers, including advanced melanoma. Nivolumab significantly prolongs survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, and sequential administration with lipilimumab may improve outcomes when switched at the appropriate time. Biomarkers are therefore needed to evaluate nivolumab efficacy soon after first administration. This study analyzed serum levels of soluble cluster of differentiation 163 (sCD163) in 59 cases of advanced cutaneous melanoma and 16 cases of advanced mucosal melanoma treated using nivolumab. Serum levels of sCD163 were significantly increased after 6 weeks in responders compared to non-responders after initial administration of nivolumab for cutaneous melanoma. In contrast, no significant difference between responders and non-responders was seen among patients with non-cutaneous melanoma. These results suggest that sCD163 may be useful as a biomarker for selecting patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma most likely to benefit from anti-melanoma immunotherapy

Widely Spread Unilateral Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Nevus (ILVEN)

Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN) is an epidermal nevus that clinically and histologically mimics linear psoriasis. The pathogenesis of psoriasis has been widely investigated, with recent studies focusing especially on targeting proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, TNFα, IL-23, and IL-12, while little is known about ILVEN. Since the treatment for ILVEN varies widely from the administration of topical ointment for psoriasis to invasive methods such as carbon dioxide gas laser, the differential diagnosis between ILVEN and psoriasis is necessary. In this report, we describe a case of widely spread unilateral ILVEN that clinically and histologically mimicked psoriasis vulgaris and could be diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining focused on the IL-36γ/IL-17A axis

Psoriasiform Drug Eruption Caused by Abatacept: Immunohistochemical Investigation of STAT Signaling

Abatacept is a biological immune modifier that is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Although psoriasiform drug eruption is reported as one of the cutaneous adverse effects of abatacept, the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. In this report, we describe a 65-year-old Japanese man with psoriasiform drug eruption caused by abatacept. Interestingly, immunohistochemical staining revealed that the epidermal keratinocytes in the basal layer and lower layers of the stratum spinosum were positive for pSTAT3, partially positive for pSTAT1 and negative for pSTAT6, which is similar to conventional psoriasis vulgaris. Our present study suggests that psoriasiform drug eruption caused by abatacept might develop by similar immunological mechanisms as those of psoriasis vulgaris

Periostin in the Cancer Stroma of Mycosis Fungoides Palmaris et Plantaris: A Case Report and Immunohistochemical Study

Mycosis fungoides palmaris et plantaris (MFPP) is a rare variant of mycosis fungoides limited to the palms and soles. Although little is known about the pathogenesis of MFPP, this variant of mycosis fungoides presents a relatively good prognosis. In this report, we describe an 85-year-old Japanese man with MFPP. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the dense deposition of periostin in the cancer stroma, as well as infiltration of CD163+CD206- tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which suggested the phenotypes of TAMs were not polarized to the M2 phenotype in the lesional skin of MFPP. Our present case might suggest one of the possible reasons for the good prognosis of MFPP

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Triggers Onset of Bullous Pemphigoid in a Patient with Advanced Melanoma Treated with Nivolumab

Since the efficacy of ipilimumab on nivolumab-resistant advanced melanoma is extremely low, additional supportive therapy for anti-PD-1 antibody therapy-resistant advanced melanoma is needed. Although several supportive therapies that enhance the antitumor immune response of anti-PD-1 antibodies have already been reported, unexpected immune-related adverse events were detected at the same time. In this report, we describe a patient with advanced melanoma treated with nivolumab followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which might have triggered bullous pemphigoid (BP). Although several cases of BP developing in anti-PD-1 antibody-treated patients have already been reported, in this report, we shed light on the possible pathogenesis of BP developing in a patient treated with nivolumab through M2 macrophages

Successful Treatment of Erythrodermic Mycosis Fungoides with Mogamulizumab Followed by Etoposide Monotherapy

Mogamulizumab induces cytotoxicity against CCR4+ lymphoma cells by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity in advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients. Since the efficacy of mogamulizumab in mycosis fungoides (28.6%) is lower than that in Sézary syndrome (47.1%), reagents that enhance the antitumor immune response induced by mogamulizumab are needed to further optimize its use for the treatment of erythrodermic mycosis fungoides. In this report, we present a case of erythrodermic mycosis fungoides successfully treated with mogamulizumab followed by etoposide monotherapy