Generalized Licen Planus Treated With Narrowband UV-B Phototherapy: Results From 10 Patients and a Review of the Literature. / Liquen plano generalizado tratado con ultravioleta B de banda estrecha: resultados en 10 pacientes y revisión de la literatura.

Generalized lichen planus can be difficult to treat. One alternative for patients who do not respond to common topical and systemic treatments, such as corticosteroids and oral antihistamines, is phototherapy. Narrowband UV-B phototherapy offers several advantages and is currently the main treatment modality. In this study, we present the results corresponding to 10 patients with generalized lichen planus treated with narrowband UV-B phototherapy. We performed a prospective study of adult patients with generalized lichen planus affecting more than 20% of their body surface area. A complete response was observed in 8 patients (80%) and the disease recurred in 2 of these (recurrence rate, 25%). These rates are similar to those reported in the literature reviewed. Narrowband UV-B phototherapy is a widely used alternative to systemic treatments in GLP, but there are very few reports of its results in the literature.

Mohs micrographic surgery in the elderly: comparison of tumours, surgery and first-year follow-up in patients younger and older than 80 years old in REGESMOHS.

BACKGROUND: The elderly population is increasing and more patients in this group undergo Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). The few publications investigating MMS in elderly people conclude that it is a safe procedure; however, these are single-centre studies without a comparison group. OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics of patients, tumours, MMS and 1-year follow-up in patients younger than 80 years, with patients older than 80 years at the time of surgery. METHODS: Data was analysed from REGESMOHS, a prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS. The participating centres were 19 Spanish hospitals where at least one MMS is performed per week. Data on characteristics of the patient, tumour and surgery were recorded. Follow-up data were collected from two visits; the first within 1 month postsurgery and the second within the first year. RESULTS: From July 2013 to October 2016, 2575 patients that underwent MMS were included in the registry. Of them, 1942 (75.4%) were aged <80 years and 633 (24.6%) were ≥80 years old. In the elderly, the tumour size was significantly higher with a higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding surgery, elderly more commonly had tumours with deeper invasion and required a higher number of Mohs surgery stages, leaving larger defects and requiring more time in the operating room. Despite this, the incidence of postoperative complications was the same in both groups (7%) and there were no significant differences in proportion of relapses in the first-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: The risk of short-term complications and relapses were similar in elderly and younger groups. MMS is a safe procedure in the elderly.