Prognostic Value of the Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-to- lymphocyte Ratio and Monocyte-to-lymphocyte Ratio in Melanoma Patients: A Cohort Study.

The prognostic value of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio in patients with melanoma has yielded controversial results in the literature. A retrospective single-centre cohort study was conducted from 1998 to 2020, including patients diagnosed with invasive melanoma. A total of 2,721 patients were included in the study. The median follow-up was 8.23 years (IQR 4.41-13.25). The median baseline neutrophil- lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio values increased significantly (p < 0.001) with the increasing American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. The optimal cut-off values for neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio were determined as 2.1, 184 and 0.2, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, high levels of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (≥ 2.1), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (≥ 184) and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (≥ 0.2) were independently associated with significantly shorter melanoma-specific survival (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06-1.60, p = 0.013; platelet-lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.06-1.76, p = 0.014; monocyte- lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58, p = 0.015) and overall survival (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.19-1.64, p < 0.001; platelet- lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.19-1.74, p < 0.001; monocyte-lymphocyte ratio: HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.21-1.66, p < 0.001). High levels of neutrophil- lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio were also associated with poor relapse-free survival, while platelet-lymphocyte ratio was not. In conclusion, baseline neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio were identified as independent predictors for the prognosis of melanoma.

Cutaneous rhabdomyosarcoma with FUS::TFCP2 fusion: A case report emphasizing early detection.

Rhabdomyosarcoma with TFCP2 rearrangement is a recently identified malignant neoplasm characterized by immunohistochemical evidence of rhabdomyoblastic differentiation, keratin expression, upregulation of ALK, and an aggressive clinical course. This neoplasm has a tendency to affect craniofacial bones, with only a few reported cases of extra-osseous tumors. Here, we present a case of cutaneous rhabdomyosarcoma with FUS::TFCP2 fusion in a 35-year-old female. Notably, the tumor exhibited a pathologic spectrum, initially resembling sclerosing dermatitis at presentation but progressing into a high-grade malignant tumor within 8 months. The distinctive immunoprofile of this neoplasm highlights the importance of early molecular studies for diagnosis, even in the presence of low-grade cytomorphology. Early detection may offer an opportunity for timely resection before the tumor becomes unresectable.

Carotid intima-media thickness and serum proinflammatory cytokine levels in rosacea patients without cardiovascular risk factors.

There is a growing body of evidence linking rosacea to various systemic disorders, even though data regarding the association between rosacea and cardiovascular diseases are presently controversial. We sought to investigate the potential association of rosacea with subclinical atherosclerosis and serum proinflammatory/proatherogenic markers. This study included 44 patients with rosacea and 44 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors or a history of cardiovascular events were excluded. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, including serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were assessed. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaques were measured by carotid ultrasonography. Serum IL-1ß (P < .001), IL-6 (P < .001), TNF-α (P < .001), and hs-CRP (P < .001) levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared with the control group. Mean CIMT values did not differ significantly between the patient group and control group (P > .05). Patients with moderate to severe rosacea had a significantly greater CIMT than those with mild rosacea (P = .047). Rosacea patients with eye involvement had a significantly greater CIMT than those without eye involvement (P = .008). There was no significant correlation between CIMT values and inflammation parameters. As conclusion, in the absence of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, rosacea does not seem to affect mean CIMT value. However, specific subgroups such as patients with moderate to severe disease or with eye involvement are associated with increased subclinical atherosclerosis and may require additional attention for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Initial Stage of Cutaneous Primary Melanoma Plays a Key Role in the Pattern and Timing of Disease Recurrence.

Given recent developments in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, early detection of disease recurrence is crucial. The aim of this single-centre retrospective cohort study was to investigate the impact of the initial stage of primary melanoma on the pattern and timing of disease recurrence and post-recurrence survival. Patients diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma with initial stage IA-IIID, between January 1996 and December 2018 and who developed disease recurrence until May 2019 were included (n = 784). Earlier stage at diagnosis was associated with a higher proportion of locoregional and a lower proportion of distant metastasis (p = 0.01). The median time to first metastasis decreased with the more advanced stages at initial diagnosis: 3.32 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.72-6.14 years) for stage I, 1.85 years (IQR 0.99-3.78 years) for stage II and 1.19 years (IQR 0.70-2.42 years) for stage III disease (p < 0.001). These findings add evidence that American Joint Committee on Cancer stages at initial diagnosis of melanoma play a key role in the pattern and timing of disease recurrence and may be helpful to improve surveillance strategies in the follow-up of patients with melanoma.

Microblotches on Dermoscopy of Melanocytic Lesions are Associated with Melanoma: A Cross-sectional Study.

Numerous dermoscopic structures for the early detection of melanoma have been described. The aim of this study was to illustrate the characteristics of dermoscopic structures that are similar to blotches, but smaller (termed microblotches), and to evaluate their association with other well-known dermoscopic structures. A cross-sectional study design, including 165 dermoscopic images of melanoma was used to define microblotches, and 241 consecutive images of naevi from the HAM10000 database, were studied to evaluate the prevalence of this criterion in both groups. Microblotches were defined as sharply demarcated structures ≤1 mm, with geographical borders visible only with dermoscopy. Microblotches were present in 38.7% of the melanomas and 6.7% of the naevi. Moreover, microblotches were associated with an odds ratio (OR) of malignancy of 5.79, and were more frequent in invasive melanoma than in the in-situ subtype (OR 2.92). Histologically, they correspond to hyperpigmented parakeratosis or epidermal consumption. In conclusion, microblotches are related to melanomas. This finding could help dermatologists to differentiate between naevi and melanomas.

Influence of Social Media and Internet on Treatment Decisions in Adult Female Acne Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

INTRODUCTION: Adult female acne is a chronic condition that significantly impacts quality of life. The content on social media can influence patients perception of their disease and serve as a channel through which they may seek or obtain treatment options. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the impact of social media usage habits on treatment decisions among adult female acne patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, multicenter survey study involved 358 females aged 25 or above, diagnosed with acne. Sociodemographic data were collected, and social media behavior, treatment choices, outcomes, and motivation were explored. RESULTS: Among 358 participants, 95.3% used at least 1 social media platform; 72.1% sought acne information online. Top platforms used to seek acne information were Google (75.6%), Instagram (72.3%), YouTube (60%), and TikTok (29.4%). For advice, 67.4% consulted doctor accounts, 53.5% non-medical influencers, 53.5% patient accounts, and 36.1% product promotion accounts. Commonly followed advice included skincare products (88%), dietary changes (42.3%), home remedies (38.8%), exercise (30.3%), topical medications (25.2%), and dietary supplements (17.4%). Notably, 20.9% were willing to alter prescribed treatment by their physician for acne based on social media advice. Patient motivations included quick information access (84.1%) and difficulty in securing dermatologist appointments (54.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals widespread social media use among adult female acne patients, highlighting concerns about potentially misleading information. Dermatologists can enhance the impact of social media by providing reliable sources for patients.

Systemic disease in leukocytoclastic vasculitis: a focus on direct immunofluorescence findings.

BACKGROUND: Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) panels are usually ordered for clinically suspected cutaneous vasculitis, but their positivity rate is variable, and their prognostic significance is not clear to date. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the systemic involvement rate in leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) patients and the potential clinical and laboratory associations with systemic involvement, including DIF findings. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with histopathologically proven cutaneous LCV examined in the dermatology department between 2013 and 2017 was performed. RESULTS: Of the 81 patients (mean age, 50.6 years), 42 (52%) were male. The mean time between the appearance of skin lesions and biopsy was 23.1 days, ranging from 2 to 180 days. DIF showed overall positivity of 90.1%, and C3 was the most frequent immunoreactant (82.7%). Any kind of extracutaneous involvement was present in 47 (58%) of patients, with renal involvement being the most frequent (53.1%), followed by articular (18.5%) and gastrointestinal (11.1%) involvement. The presence of renal disease was associated with the detection of IgG in the lesional skin (p = 0.017), and with the absence of IgM in the lesional skin (p = 0.032). There was a significant association between C3 deposition and joint involvement (p = 0.05). STUDY LIMITATIONS: This is a single-center study with a retrospective design. CONCLUSION: DIF seems to be a useful ancillary diagnostic tool in the evaluation of cutaneous vasculitis, but the relationship between DIF findings and systemic involvement needs to be further elucidated due to contradictory data in the current literature.

Subcutaneous emphysema after intralesional cryotherapy: An unusual complication.

BACKGROUND: Intralesional cryotherapy (ILC) is a safe and well tolerated by the patient. Subcutaneous emphysema (SE) cases after spray and contact cryotherapy have been described; however, this complication has not been previously reported after ILC. AIM: Our aim is to discuss the possible causes of SE development after ILC. METHOD: We present a young patient that developed SE after ILC applying by insertion of an open-ended needle to the tip of the cryotherapy gun. RESULTS: The development of SE following ILC may have been caused by inward clefting from the ear hole, the usage of an open-ended needle and a lack of safety system. CONCLUSION: It will be safer to apply special methods involving the usage of sealed distal type to prevent SE development.

Tattoos: Demographics, Motivations, and Regret in Dermatology Patients.

Background: Tattoos are very popular in today's world. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the demographics, the characteristics of tattoos, motivations for getting tattoos, tattooing practices and tattoo regret. Materials and Method: This multi-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted among. 302 patients attending to the dermatology outpatient clinics and having at least one tattoo. A questionnaire form including all needed data about patients, tattoo characteristics and possible reasons for obtaining tattoos was designed and applied to all participants. Results: Of 302 patients, 140 (46,4%) were females and 162 (53,6%) were men. The mean age was28,3 ± 8,1 years (min-max, 16-62) for all study group, 53% of participants (n = 160) had at least one tattoo involving letters or number, 80 participants (26%) stated regret for at least one of their tattoos, and 34 of them (42,5%) had their unwanted tattoo removed or camouflaged with a new tattoo. The most common reason for regret was 'not liking the tattoo anymore'. The most common motivations for having tattoos were 'to feel independent', 'to feel better about himself/herself' and 'to look good'. Women had higher scores than men regarding tattoo motivations of 'to be an individual' and 'to have a beauty mark'. Conclusion: Given the rates, tattoo regret is a significant issue and as motivations differ between genders, age groups and other demographic characteristics; tattoos are not just an ink or drawing on the body, but a tool for individuals to express themselves and to construct self-identity. Tattoos have deep symbolic meanings for emotions, and they may be a clue for behavioural patterns of individuals.

Systemic disease in leukocytoclastic vasculitis: a focus on direct immunofluorescence findings

Abstract Background Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) panels are usually ordered for clinically suspected cutaneous vasculitis, but their positivity rate is variable, and their prognostic significance is not clear to date. Objective The study aims to investigate the systemic involvement rate in leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) patients and the potential clinical and laboratory associations with systemic involvement, including DIF findings. Methods A retrospective study of patients with histopathologically proven cutaneous LCV examined in the dermatology department between 2013 and 2017 was performed. Results Of the 81 patients (mean age, 50.6 years), 42 (52%) were male. The mean time between the appearance of skin lesions and biopsy was 23.1 days, ranging from 2 to 180 days. DIF showed overall positivity of 90.1%, and C3 was the most frequent immunoreactant (82.7%). Any kind of extracutaneous involvement was present in 47 (58%) of patients, with renal involvement being the most frequent (53.1%), followed by articular (18.5%) and gastrointestinal (11.1%) involvement. The presence of renal disease was associated with the detection of IgG in the lesional skin (p = 0.017), and with the absence of IgM in the lesional skin (p = 0.032). There was a significant association between C3 deposition and joint involvement (p = 0.05). Study limitations This is a single-center study with a retrospective design. Conclusion DIF seems to be a useful ancillary diagnostic tool in the evaluation of cutaneous vasculitis, but the relationship between DIF findings and systemic involvement needs to be further elucidated due to contradictory data in the current literature.

Systemic interferon alfa injections for the treatment of a giant orf.

Orf is a zoonotic infection caused by a parapoxvirus and is endemic in sheep and goats. It may be transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected animals. We report a case of a giant orf in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which proliferated dramatically after surgical excision and resolved after systemic interferon alfa-2a injections.