Extramammary Paget disease. Part I. epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, and diagnosis.

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare skin cancer of apocrine-rich skin that mimics common inflammatory and infectious dermatoses, leading to delays in diagnosis and increased patient morbidity. Better clinical recognition of this entity, multidisciplinary patient assessment, and deeper understanding of the underlying pathophysiology are essential to improve patient care and disease outcomes. It is important to distinguish primary intraepithelial/micro-invasive EMPD from invasive EMPD or cases with adenocarcinoma arising within EMPD. This 2-part continuing medical education series provides a complete picture of EMPD. Part 1 of this continuing medical education series reviews the epidemiology, oncogenesis, clinical and histopathologic presentation, workup, and prognosis of this rare cancer.

Extramammary Paget disease. Part II. Evidence-based approach to management.

Extramammary Paget disease is a rare cutaneous malignancy that most commonly affects the genitals, perianal area, and axilla of elderly patients. Delays in care often lead to high levels of disease burden for patients. Thus, evidence-based recommendations are paramount in mitigating morbidity and mortality for this unique patient population. This 2-part continuing medical education series provides a complete picture of extramammary Paget disease. Part 2 of this continuing medical education series focuses on the complex management of extramammary Paget disease including surgical and noninvasive therapies, as well as novel approaches for advanced disease.

Art of prevention: Atopic dermatitis in women and families of color-prevalence, recognition, and prevention.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common skin conditions encountered by dermatologists. Skin of color (SOC) patients, in particular, are 50% more likely to visit a dermatologist for AD than non-SOC patients. While the misdiagnosis of AD in SOC patients is rare, the misinterpretation of severity or undertreatment of disease experienced by this patient population is a common occurrence. Herein, we present this Art of Prevention piece focused on the epidemiology, presentation, treatment, and management of AD in skin of color patients.

Telemedicine Alopecia Assessment: Highlighting Patients With Skin of Color.

Alopecia has been one of the more common concerns reported at teledermatology (TD) visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of the growing use of TD, a team of experts were consulted to develop workflows for virtual hair and scalp examinations, with particular consideration for skin of color patients.

Efficacy of laser CO2 treatment for refractory lymphedema secondary to cancer treatments.

Lymphedema is a frequent debilitating condition among cancer patients. Daily supportive treatment may be necessary without long-term improvement. We describe two cases with chronic refractory lymphedema treated with fractional 10,600 nm CO2 laser. A 61-year-old female with locally advanced cervical cancer presented with postsurgical edematous swelling of the vulva and mons pubis and recurring cellulitis due to chronic lymphangiectasia. After six treatments of fractional CO2 laser, she noticed an 80% reduction of lymphorrea, swelling, and frequency of cellulitis. A 32-year old melanoma patient presented with refractory right lower leg lymphedema post right inguinal lymph node dissection and radiation. After fractional CO2 laser, she noted increased softness of her inguinal scar and a decrease of the lower leg edema. Fractional CO2 laser may be useful in addressing chronic refractory lymphedema. Further research should confirm our findings to consider fractional laser as a standard method in the treatment of chronic lymphedema.

Assessment of published literature regarding skin of color in Pediatric Dermatology.

We sought to analyze the existence of skin of color (SOC)-related literature in Pediatric Dermatology. To do so, we applied criteria developed by Wilson et al (Assessment of skin of color and diversity and inclusion content of dermatologic published literature: an analysis and call to action. Int J Women Dermatol. 2021;15:26) to categorize SOC articles. We found that Pediatric Dermatology published 28.4% SOC articles in the last three years, higher than the average (16.8%) found across surveyed dermatology journals. Our findings demonstrate opportunity for improvement through the implementation of keyword standardization and continued prioritization of SOC-related content.

Assessment of skin of color and diversity and inclusion content of dermatologic published literature: An analysis and call to action.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have revealed inadequate resident education and textbook representation of dermatological conditions in patients with skin of color (SoC). This suggests that the literature and continuing medical education are important alternative dermatology educational resources to aid in diagnosing and treating patients of color. OBJECTIVE: This study develops criteria to assess and examine the prevalence of SoC-related publications among top dermatology journals. METHODS: We developed the first-ever prespecified criteria that allow for the assessment of diversity in the dermatologic literature. The archives of 52 dermatology journals from January 2018 to October 2020, selected based on Scopus ranking, were analyzed for journal characteristics and content regarding skin and hair of color, diversity and inclusion, and socioeconomic/health care disparities that affect underrepresented populations with SoC. RESULTS: Our study reveals that the average percentage of overall publications relevant to SoC is quite low. The percent of SoC articles ranged from 2.04% to 16.8% with a mean of 16.3%. The top-performing dermatology journals in SoC were, not surprisingly, from countries with populations with SoC; however, the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, Australasian Journal of Dermatology, and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatol Case Reports were among the top 10. Research and higher-impact journals were among the lowest in SoC rankings, including the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Experimental Dermatology, and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, and had <5% of articles on SoC. CONCLUSION: We believe that the criteria we established could be used by journal editors to include at least 16.8% of SoC-relevant articles in each issue. Increasing SoC content in the dermatological literature, and particularly in high-impact journals, will serve as an invaluable educational resource and aid in promoting excellence in the care of patients with SoC.

Bridging racial differences in the clinical encounter: How implicit bias and stereotype threat contribute to health care disparities in the dermatology clinic.

BACKGROUND: Positive interactions that build good relationships between patients and providers demonstrate improved health outcomes for patients. Yet, racial minority patients may not be on an equal footing in having positive interactions. Stereotype threat and implicit bias in clinical medicine negatively affect the quality of care that racial minorities receive. Dermatology, one of the least racially diverse specialties in medicine, further falls short in providing patients with options for race-concordant visits, which are noted to afford improved experiences and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze implicit bias and stereotype threat in a dermatology clinical scenario with the goal of identifying actions that providers, particularly those that are not racial minorities, can take to improve the quality of the clinical interactions between the minority patient and provider. METHODS: We illustrate a hypothetical patient visit and identify elements that are susceptible to both stereotype threat and implicit bias. We then develop an action plan that dermatologists can use to combat stereotype threat and implicit bias in the clinical setting. RESULTS: The details of an action plan to combat the effect of stereotype threat and implicit bias are as follows: 1) Invite practices that increase representation within all aspects of the patient visit (from wall art to mission statements to creating a culture that embraces difference and not just diversity); 2) employ communication techniques targeted to invite and understand the patient perspective; and 3) practice making empathic statements to normalize anxiety and foster connection during the visit. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of stereotype threat and implicit bias and their sequelae, as well as an understanding of steps that can be taken preemptively to counteract these factors, create opportunities to improve clinical care and patient outcomes in racial minority patients.

Neurofibromatosis type 1: New developments in genetics and treatment.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is the most common neurocutaneous syndrome, with a frequency of 1 in 2500 persons. Diagnosis is paramount in the pretumor stage to provide proper anticipatory guidance for a number of neoplasms, both benign and malignant. Loss-of-function mutations in the NF1 gene result in truncated and nonfunctional production of neurofibromin, a tumor suppressor protein involved in downregulating the RAS signaling pathway. New therapeutic and preventive options include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, interferons, and radiofrequency therapy. This review summarizes recent updates in genetics, mutation analysis assays, and treatment options targeting aberrant genetic pathways. We also propose modified diagnostic criteria and provide an algorithm for surveillance of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Utilization of Facebook for support and education by patients with skin cancer.

The expanding role of social media in medical care has resulted in dermatology patients seeking support online regarding personal experience with diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. Owing to increased privacy settings in closed Facebook groups, the current study analyzed themes of keratinocyte carcinoma patients' posts within a relatively private social media network. Although the majority of messages included sharing personal experience and provided psychosocial support (50%), there were a significant number of posts offering medical advice (35%), with the majority of such replies being unsupported by evidence-based medicine (87%). The level of medical misinformation and potential harm to patients seeking advice online is important for medical practitioners treating skin cancer and provides impetus for possible further research into online support and education groups that are moderated for misinformation.