Systemic polychemotherapy in the treatment of primary cutaneous lymphomas: a clinical follow-up study of 81 patients treated with COP or CHOP

The efficacy of systemic polychemotherapy in the treatment of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCL) or T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) is still controversial. A series of 81 patients (46 primary CBCL and 35 CTCL) were treated with COP or CHOP regimens. In primary CBCL, the overall objective response rate (RR) was 98%, with an 89% CR rate and a 33% relapse-rate. Five-year disease-free survival was 70%, 5-year survival 97%. Patients with leg or widespread lesions showed a higher relapse-rate (55% vs 26%) than those with trunk or head lesions. The overall objective RR was 40% in CTCL patients, with a 23% CR rate; median response duration was 5.7 months, median survival 19 months. The results confirm both the good prognosis of primary CBCL and the efficacy of polychemotherapy. CHOP regimen is to be preferred to COP in as much as it reduces relapse rates. Conversely, there are no indications for the use of COP/CHOP regimens as first-line chemotherapy in CTCL patients

Regulatory T cells in skin lesions and blood of patients with bullous pemphigoid

Background: Although regulatory T cells (Tregs) are affected in several autoimmune skin diseases, only two studies have been performed in patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP) with contrasting results. Objective: To characterize Tregs and to determine the serum levels of regulatory cytokines in patients with BP. Methods: In BP lesional skin, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy were performed for CD4+, CD25+, forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (FOXP3)+, transforming growth factor (TGF)-\u3b2+ and interleukin (IL)-10+ cells. In addition, the number of CD4+CD25++FOXP3+ Tregs in peripheral blood was assessed by flow cytometry, and the levels of TGF-\u3b2 and IL-10 were determined in serum samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after steroid therapy. Controls included patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD) and healthy donors. Results: The frequency of FOXP3+ cells was significantly reduced in skin lesions from patients with BP (P < 0.001) compared with psoriasis and AD. Moreover, the number of IL-10+ cells was lower in BP than in psoriasis (P < 0.001) and AD (P = 0.002), while no differences were observed in the number of TGF-\u3b2+ cells. CD4+CD25++FOXP3+ Treg in the peripheral blood of patients with BP was significantly reduced compared with healthy controls (P < 0.001), and augmented significantly after steroid therapy (P = 0.001). Finally, TGF-\u3b2 and IL-10 serum levels were similar in patients with BP compared with healthy controls. However, after therapy, BP patients showed significantly higher IL-10 serum levels than before therapy (P = 0.01). Conclusions: These data suggest that the depletion of Tregs and of IL-10 in patients with BP may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of the disease

Clinico-pathologic features of primary melanoma and sentinel lymph node predictive for non-sentinel lymph node involvement and overall survival in melanoma patients: A single centre observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Completion Lymph Node Dissection (CLND) is the current standard of practice for patients with a positive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB). Significant morbidity is associated to CLND, so we tried to evaluate which prognostic variables could predict NSLN invasion in SLN-positive patients and their impact on the overall survival (OS). METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 603 patients that had undergone SLNB for melanoma between 2000 and 2009 at our department was done. 100 SLN were positive at the histopathological analysis of SLN. Demographic variables, primary melanoma, SLN pathologic features and results of CLND were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression and OS analyses were carried out to test the prognostic relevance of clinico-pathologic variables on CLND results and disease course. RESULTS: Breslow thickness, ulceration and micro/macrometastatic pattern of SLN invasion carried a significantly independent higher likelihood of NSLN involvement; Starz classification did not maintain a statistical significance in multivariate analysis. Only one patient (4.3%) without adverse prognostic factors showed NSLN involvement, which was found in 33.3% of patients with one and 55.9% with two or more adverse parameters (p = 0.0001). OS analyses confirmed the prognostic significance of these factors. CONCLUSION: Waiting for the results of Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial II, our study suggests a clinically useful and easily applicable means of identifying patients with an unfavourable disease course. The presence of one or more adverse factors identifies patients in whom CLND is mandatory to include thereafter in a more strict follow-up program. Moreover, the finding of no adverse prognostic indicators associated to the presence of significant co-morbidities and/or elderly age, could be useful in identifying patients not to treat by CLND