Role of Sleep Apnea and Long-Term CPAP Treatment in the Prognosis of Patients With Melanoma: A Prospective Multicenter Study of 443 Patients.

BACKGROUND: OSA has been associated with increased incidence and aggressiveness of melanoma. However, the long-term impact of OSA and CPAP treatment on the prognosis of melanoma remains unexplored. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are OSA and CPAP treatment associated independently with a poor prognosis for cutaneous melanoma? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Four hundred forty-three patients with a diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma (2012-2015) underwent a sleep study within 6 months of diagnosis. The main 5-year outcome of the study was a composite of melanoma recurrence, metastasis, or mortality. Patients were divided into four groups: baseline apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of fewer than 10 events/h (no OSA; control group), OSA treated with CPAP and good adherence, untreated or poor CPAP adherence in moderate (AHI, 10-29 events/h), and severe OSA (AHI, ≥ 30 events/h). Survival analysis was used to determine the independent role of OSA and CPAP treatment on melanoma composite outcome. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-one patients (88.2%) were available for analysis at 5-year follow-up (mean age, 65.1 ± 15.2 years; 49% male; Breslow index, 1.7 ± 2.5 mm). One hundred thirty-nine patients had AHI of fewer than 10 events/h (control group); 78 patients with OSA were adherent to CPAP; and 124 and 50 patients had moderate and severe OSA, respectively, without CPAP treatment. Median follow-up was 60 months (interquartile range, 51-74 months). During follow-up, 32 relapses, 53 metastases, and 52 deaths occurred (116 patients showed at least one of the main composite outcomes). After adjusting for age, sex, sentinel lymph nodes affected at diagnosis, BMI, diabetes, nighttime with an oxygen saturation below 90%, Breslow index, Epworth sleepiness scale scores, and melanoma treatment, moderate (hazard ratio [HR], 2.45; 95% CI, 1.09-5.49) and severe OSA (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.36-6.42) were associated with poorer prognosis of melanoma compared with the control group. However, good adherence to CPAP avoided this excess risk (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.71-3.90). INTERPRETATION: Moderate to severe untreated OSA is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis of melanoma. Treatment with CPAP is associated with improved melanoma outcomes compared with untreated moderate to severe OSA.

Brentuximab vedotin in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: Data from the Spanish Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry.

BACKGROUND: Brentuximab vedotin (BV) has been approved for CD30-expressing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one previous systemic treatment. However, real clinical practice is still limited. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the response and tolerance of BV in a cohort of patients with CTCL. METHODS: We analysed CTCL patients treated with BV from the Spanish Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry (RELCP). RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were included. There were 26 females and the mean age at diagnosis was 59 years. Forty-eight were mycosis fungoides (MF), 7 Sézary syndrome (SS) and 12 CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders (CD30 LPD). Mean follow-up was 18 months. Thirty patients (45%) showed at least 10% of CD30+ cells among the total lymphocytic infiltrate. The median number of BV infusions received was 7. The overall response rate (ORR) was 67% (63% in MF, 71% in SS and 84% in CD30 LPD). Ten of 14 patients with folliculotropic MF (FMF) achieved complete or partial response (ORR 71%). The median time to response was 2.8 months. During follow-up, 36 cases (54%) experienced cutaneous relapse or progression. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 10.3 months. The most frequent adverse event was peripheral neuropathy (PN) (57%), in most patients (85%), grades 1 or 2. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the efficacy and safety of BV in patients with advanced-stage MF, and CD30 LPD. In addition, patients with FMF and SS also showed a favourable response. Our data suggest that BV retreatment is effective in a proportion of cases.

Guselkumab as a switching strategy after anti-TNFα, anti-IL17, or anti-IL12/23 therapies in moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

The IL23/Th17 axis plays a strategic role in psoriasis (PSO). Guselkumab (GUS) is a selective inhibitor of the IL23p19 subunit. Its introduction has managed to increase the levels of efficacy, safety and survival in PSO. In real clinical practice, patients can loss effectiveness or suffered adverse events that forces a change in their treatments. There is scarce evidence of the effectiveness, safety, and survival of GUS in real clinical practice after anti-TNFα, anti-IL17, and/or anti-IL12/23. This is multicenter, observational and retrospective study of real clinical practice includes patients with moderate-to-severe plaque PSO in treatment with GUS. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of GUS after anti-TNFα, anti-IL17, and anti-IL12/23. The study includes clinical information from February 2019 to February 2022. PASI, BSA, Pruritus, DLQI, survival, and safety were evaluated up to 76 weeks. Analyses were performed "as observed" using GraphPad Prism version 8.3.0 for Windows. A total of 103 patients were included in the analysis. At baseline there were significant differences between the anti-TNF, anti-IL17, and anti-IL12/23 groups for (1) dyslipidemia; (2) number of previous biological treatments and (3) PASI, BSA, VAS Pruritus, and DLQI scores. The effectiveness of GUS in terms of PASI, BSA, Pruritus, and DLQI was not impacted by previous biological alternatives. Treatment survival including discontinuations due to lack of effectiveness or safety reasons was 100%, 92.7%, and 92.1% for anti-TNFα, anti-IL17, and anti-IL12/23, respectively, at 130 weeks. No differences were found between groups. One adverse event was reported in the anti-LI12/23 group. The mid-term effectiveness, safety and survival of GUS if not impacted by previous biological therapy as anti-TNFα, anti-IL17, and/or anti-IL12/23. Our results indicate that GUS could be a switching strategy in patients who fail or present AE to other biological alternatives in moderate-to-severe PSO.

Efficacy of an Innovative Film-Forming Wound Dressing on Open Wounds.

Standards in post-surgery wound care management require a rapid healing process in order to prevent and minimize abnormal scarring. For the healing process to start as early as possible, the ideal dressing should be applied directly on the open wound and perfectly adapt to it. The authors report a case study series regarding the efficacy of a flexible film-forming wound dressing in the form of a gel (Stratamed®, Stratpharma AG, Switzerland) that is approved for the use on open wounds and injured skin. Evidence from the current study shows that, while remaining safe to use, the dressing was efficacious in promoting epithelialization and accelerated wound healing of areas in which skin integrity had been compromised, and at the same time prevented the formation of abnormal scars. Results were observed across a broad range of dermatologic surgical procedures. All treated conditions showed a beneficial outcome, as well as an overall favorable patient treatment perception.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is Independently Associated With Increased Aggressiveness of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Multicenter Observational Study in 443 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been associated with a greater incidence and mortality of cancer, although such findings are inconsistent. However, no large studies are currently available to investigate this association in patients with a specific type of cancer. This study seeks to assess potential relationships between SDB severity and aggressiveness markers of cutaneous melanoma. METHODS: Four hundred and forty-three patients with a diagnosis of melanoma underwent a sleep study within 6 months of diagnosis. General demographics were collected, along with melanoma characteristics and polygraphic parameters consisting of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and indices of both continuous and intermittent night-time oxyhemoglobin desaturation (DI4%). An exploration of independent relationships between SDB and various objective melanoma aggressiveness markers (Breslow index, presence of ulceration, presence of regression, mitotic index, stage of severity, damage to the sentinel lymph, and spreading of the melanoma) was performed. RESULTS: Patients in the upper tertiles of AHI or DI4% were 1.94 (95% CI, 1.14-3.32; P = .022) and 1.93 (95% CI, 1.14-3.26; P = .013) times more likely, respectively, to present with aggressive melanoma (Breslow index > 1 mm) than those in the lowest tertiles of these sleep attributes after adjustment for age, sex, tumor location, and BMI. This association was particularly prominent among patients < 56 years of age with Breslow index > 2 mm. The presence of the additional markers of aggressiveness was also associated with higher AHI and DI4% values. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of SDB was independently associated with greater aggressiveness of cutaneous melanoma, particularly among younger patients.

Interstitial Granulomatous Dermatitis due to a Rare Myeloproliferative Neoplasia.

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis (IGD) was first described in 1993 by Ackerman as a cutaneous reactive disease in patients with arthritis. Since then, numerous cases associated with different hematological and rheumatic disorders have been reported. IGD is a polymorphic entity that usually involves the upper part of the trunk. Histologically, it is defined as a diffuse dermal histiocytic infiltrate of different densities surrounded by fragmented collagen. We report the case of a 56-year-old man with pruritic papules affecting neck, proximal arms and thorax associated with weight loss and chronic fatigue for six months. Two punch biopsies were taken and the specimens showed lymphohistiocytic interstitial infiltrates with fragmented collagen and elastic fibers in dermis. IGD was diagnosed as first manifestation of a rare chronic myeloproliferative hematologic disorder (cMPD) with rearrangement of beta-receptor for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFRB). After two months of imatinib, lesions regressed completely.

Intermittent Hypoxia Is Associated With High Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α but Not High Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Cell Expression in Tumors of Cutaneous Melanoma Patients.

Epidemiological associations linking between obstructive sleep apnea and poorer solid malignant tumor outcomes have recently emerged. Putative pathways proposed to explain that these associations have included enhanced hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cell expression in the tumor and altered immune functions via intermittent hypoxia (IH). Here, we examined relationships between HIF-1α and VEGF expression and nocturnal IH in cutaneous melanoma (CM) tumor samples. Prospectively recruited patients with CM tumor samples were included and underwent overnight polygraphy. General clinical features, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), desaturation index (DI4%), and CM characteristics were recorded. Histochemical assessments of VEGF and HIF-1α were performed, and the percentage of positive cells (0, <25, 25-50, 51-75, >75%) was blindly tabulated for VEGF expression, and as 0, 0-5.9, 6.0-10.0, >10.0% for HIF-1α expression, respectively. Cases with HIF-1α expression >6% (high expression) were compared with those <6%, and VEGF expression >75% of cells was compared with those with <75%. 376 patients were included. High expression of VEGF and HIF-1α were seen in 88.8 and 4.2% of samples, respectively. High expression of VEGF was only associated with increasing age. However, high expression of HIF-1α was significantly associated with age, Breslow index, AHI, and DI4%. Logistic regression showed that DI4% [OR 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01-1.06)] and Breslow index [OR 1.28 (95% CI: 1.18-1.46)], but not AHI, remained independently associated with the presence of high HIF-1α expression. Thus, IH emerges as an independent risk factor for higher HIF-1α expression in CM tumors and is inferentially linked to worse clinical CM prognostic indicators.

A prospective multicenter cohort study of cutaneous melanoma: clinical staging and potential associations with HIF-1α and VEGF expressions.

Melanoma is a highly prevalent cancer that is associated with substantial mortality. Although clinical staging procedures can serve as relatively robust prognostic indicators, we aimed to determine whether assessments of the abundance of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in postexcisional melanoma tumor tissues may enable more accurate determination of tumor aggressiveness. We carried out a multicenter prospective study, in which we systematically evaluated 376 consecutive patients diagnosed with melanoma, and performed histochemical assessments for both HIF-1α and VEGF immunoreactivity in the tumor biopsies. Multivariate analyses showed that higher HIF-1α expression, but not high VEGF, were associated significantly and independently with increased tumor aggressiveness as derived from several well-established aggressiveness criteria. A limitation of this study was that this was a descriptive prospective study lacking a post-hoc verification arm. Thus, the presence of increased numbers of positively labeled HIF-1α cells in melanoma tumors may potentially serve as an indicator of tumor phenotype and prognosis, and accordingly guide therapy.

Association between sleep disordered breathing and aggressiveness markers of malignant cutaneous melanoma.

Some recent studies have shown an association between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and cancer mortality and incidence but no study has focused on a specific type of cancer. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between the severity of SDB and factors related to cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) aggressiveness. We performed a multicentre observational study in 82 consecutive patients diagnosed with CMM. 56 patients in whom melanoma measurements were available were finally included in the study. Melanoma measurements of aggressiveness included: tumour mitotic rate, Breslow index, presence of ulceration, stage of disease and growth rate of melanoma. A sleep study was performed in all the included patients. Multivariate analyses were used to examine the independent relationship between SDB severity (apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) and nocturnal oxygen desaturation indexes (ODI3% and ODI4%)) and measures of CMM aggressiveness. 60.7% of patients had SDB (AHI ≥ 5) and 14.3% severe obstructive sleep apnoea (AHI ≥ 30). In fully adjusted multivariate analyses, AHI (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14), ODI3% (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.11) and ODI4% (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.02-1.2) were independently associated with an increased melanoma growth rate. Furthermore, AHI, ODI4% and ODI3% were significantly correlated with other aggressiveness factors of CMM, such as Breslow index, presence of ulceration and mitotic index. SDB severity markers are associated with some aggressiveness markers of CMM.

Interferon-induced cutaneous sarcoidosis in melanoma.

Interferon-induced cutaneous sarcoidosis in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma is a rare side effect. We present the case of a patient who developed two histologically confirmed subcutaneous sarcoid nodules 15 months after starting adjuvant therapy with interferon for lymph node metastatic melanoma in which the primary tumor was not known. The extension study, coinciding with occurrence of the nodules, showed no systemic sarcoidosis. This therefore represents the second reported case of interferon-induced cutaneous sarcoidosis in melanoma therapy. As computed axial tomography-PET or other imaging techniques are unable to differentiate between the radiological signs of melanoma metastasis and sarcoidosis, histological evaluation of the granulomatous lesions is essential with a view to avoiding unnecessary treatments.

[Marjolin's ulcer: burn scar carcinoma]. / Ulcera de Marjolin: carcinoma sobre cicatriz por quemadura.

The term Marjolin's ulcer means the malignant transformation of chronic ulcers, sinus tract and burn scars. The most frequently produced neoplasm is squamous cell carcinoma. The pathogeny is unknown, involving mutations in the Fas gene. Main therapeutic management are consist of prophylactic measures, avoiding repeated traumas and prolonged cure periods. We present the case of a 48-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma on the old burn scar of legs that evolved favorably after excision.