Frequency and characteristics of familial melanoma in Spain: The FAM-GEM-1 Study

Similar to that observed in other countries, familial melanoma accounts for 6.6% of melanoma diagnoses in Spain. Although no differences in the multivariate analysis were found, some better prognosis factors, such as Breslow index, seem more frequent in familial melanoma, which reflect a better early detection marker and/or a different biological behavior

SEOM clinical guideline for the management of malignant melanoma (2017)

All melanoma suspected patients must be confirmed histologically and resected. Sentinel node biopsy must be done when tumor is over 1 mm or if less with high-risk factors. Adjuvant therapy with interferon could be offered for patients with high-risk melanoma and in selected cases radiotherapy can be added. Metastatic melanoma treatment is guided by mutational BRAF status. BRAF wild type patients must receive anti-PD1 containing therapy and BRAF mutated patients BRAF/MEK inhibitors or anti-PD1 containing therapy. Up to 10 years follow up is reasonable for melanoma patients with dermatologic examinations and physical exams

Gold-coated split laser-induced periodic surface structures as refractometric sensors

The generation of surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) allows their application in the field of optical sensing, such as the detection of refractive index variations in gases and liquids. We have fabricated gold-coated LIPSS nanostructures on stainless steel substrates by using femtosecond laser nano-ablation. This technique is a low-cost and high-throughput fabrication method applicable to fast and large-scale manufacturing. The depth profile of the fabricated LIPSS shows a central dip at the top of each ripple that split the geometry. The actual topography is modeled and included in a computational electromagnetism package to obtain the expected optical response under the experimental conditions. The measured and simulated spectral reflectances are compared, and the differences are explained by the departure of the fabricated LIPSS from the ideal topography. The experiments and simulations showed excellent agreement for the main spectral characteristics, like the Fano-like lineshapes of the spectral reflectance. This fitting provides the values used to determine the refractometric performance of the fabricated device, that shows a sensitivity of 518 nm/RIU and a figure of merit of 32 RIU-1 for an aqueous analyte. Our experimental results show that the fabricated devices are competitive in terms of cost and simplicity when compared to existing devices with similar performance

Gold-coated split laser-induced periodic surface structures as refractometric sensors

The generation of surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) allows their application in the field of optical sensing, such as the detection of refractive index variations in gases and liquids. We have fabricated gold-coated LIPSS nanostructures on stainless steel substrates by using femtosecond laser nano-ablation. This technique is a low-cost and high-throughput fabrication method applicable to fast and large-scale manufacturing. The depth profile of the fabricated LIPSS shows a central dip at the top of each ripple that split the geometry. The actual topography is modeled and included in a computational electromagnetism package to obtain the expected optical response under the experimental conditions. The measured and simulated spectral reflectances are compared, and the differences are explained by the departure of the fabricated LIPSS from the ideal topography. The experiments and simulations showed excellent agreement for the main spectral characteristics, like the Fano-like lineshapes of the spectral reflectance. This fitting provides the values used to determine the refractometric performance of the fabricated device, that shows a sensitivity of 518 nm/RIU and a figure of merit of 32 RIU-1 for an aqueous analyte. Our experimental results show that the fabricated devices are competitive in terms of cost and simplicity when compared to existing devices with similar performance

Intratumoral nanoplexed poly I:C BO-112 in combination with systemic anti–PD-1 for patients with anti–PD-1–refractory tumors

Intratumoral therapies, especially Toll-like receptor agonists, can trigger both the innate and adaptive immune systems. BO-112 is a nanoplexed form of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) that induces local and systemic immunotherapeutic effects in mouse models. In a multicenter phase 1 clinical trial, repeated intratumoral administrations of BO-112 induced an increase in tumor cell necrosis and apoptosis, as well as augmented immune reactivity according to gene expression profiling. The first three cohorts receiving BO-112 as a monotherapy resulted in a recommended dose of 1 mg that could be safely repeated. Two grade 3 to 4 adverse reactions in the form of reversible thrombocytopenia were reported. In a fourth cohort of 28 patients with tumors that had primary resistance to anti–programmed cell death protein–1 (PD-1), the combination of intratumoral BO-112 with nivolumab or pembrolizumab was also well tolerated, and 3 patients (2 with melanoma and 1 with renal cell carcinoma) achieved partial responses, with 10 more patients having stable disease at 8 to 12 weeks. Thus, local BO-112 combined with a systemic anti–PD-1 agent might be a strategy to revert anti–PD-1 resistanc

SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with melanoma: results of the Spanish Melanoma Group registry

Background The Spanish Melanoma Group (GEM) developed a national registry of patients with melanoma infected by SARS-CoV-2 ( GRAVID ).Methods The main objective was to describe the COVID-19 fatality rate in patients with melanoma throughout the pandemic, as well as to explore the effect of melanoma treatment and tumor stage on the risk of COVID-19 complications. These are the final data of the register, including cases from February 2020 to September 2021.Results One hundred-fifty cases were registered. Median age was 68 years (range 6-95), 61 (40%) patients were females, and 63 (42%) patients had stage IV. Thirty-nine (26%) were on treatment with immunotherapy, and 17 (11%) with BRAF-MEK inhibitors. COVID-19 was resolved in 119 cases, including 85 (57%) patients cured, 15 (10%) that died due to melanoma, and 20 (13%) that died due to COVID-19. Only age over 60 years, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes mellitus increased the risk of death due to COVID-19, but not advanced melanoma stage nor melanoma systemic therapies. Three waves have been covered by the register: February-May 2020, August-November 2020, and December 2020-April 2021. The first wave had the highest number of registered cases and COVID-19 mortality.Conclusion Tumor stage or melanoma treatments are non-significant prognostic factors for COVID-19 mortality. During the pandemic in Spain there was a downward trend in the number of patients registered across the waves, as well as in the severity of the infection