Skin Cancer Microenvironment: What We Can Learn from Skin Aging?

Aging is a natural intrinsic process associated with the loss of fibrous tissue, a slower cell turnover, and a reduction in immune system competence. In the skin, the continuous exposition of environmental factors superimposes extrinsic damage, mainly due to ultraviolet radiation causing photoaging. Although not usually considered a pathogenic event, photoaging affects cutaneous biology, increasing the risk of skin carcinogenesis. At the cellular level, aging is typified by the rise of senescence cells a condition characterized by reduced or absent capacity to proliferate and aberrant hyper-secretory activity. Senescence has a double-edged sword in cancer biology given that senescence prevents the uncontrolled proliferation of damaged cells and favors their clearance by paracrine secretion. Nevertheless, the cumulative insults and the poor clearance of injured cells in the elderly increase cancer incidence. However, there are not conclusive data proving that aged skin represents a permissive milieu for tumor onset. On the other hand, tumor cells are capable of activating resident fibroblasts onto a pro-tumorigenic phenotype resembling those of senescent fibroblasts suggesting that aged fibroblasts might facilitate cancer progression. This review discusses changes that occur during aging that can prime neoplasm or increase the aggressiveness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Clinical management of very small pigmented lesions: Improved clinical outcome through dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy combination.

INTRODUCTION: Small-sized pigmented lesions (SSPL) <3 mm in diameter are common pitfall in the daily dermatology practice. Dermoscopy alone is hampered by the lack of specific features inversely proportional to the diameter of the lesions and its performance is highly operator-dependent. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has been demonstrated to be effective in the diagnosis of several difficult lesions where dermoscopy lacks to provide conclusive information. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 179 lesions with uncertain or equivocal clinical and dermoscopy appearance were selected. Dermoscopist has been requested to express a diagnostic suspect when possible. Equivocal lesions underwent RCM performed by expert for second-level evaluation before surgical excision for histological diagnosis. Results have been later statistically analysed. RESULTS: Dermoscopy was not diagnostic in large number of lesions with low concordance histology (39.1%) instead of a much high concordance when combined with RCM (93.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Small-sized pigmented lesions were more likely to be located on the face area. Diagnosis of pigmented BCC was relatively easy on dermoscopy and also in the case of small lesions showing typical signs of BCC. LM and MM have been seen to be particularly difficult to be diagnosed using only dermoscopy. The combination of digital dermoscopy and RCM represents the correct approach of SSPL.

A Single Center Retrospective Review of Patients from Central Italy Tested for Melanoma Predisposition Genes.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is one of the most common skin cancers worldwide. CMM pathogenesis involves genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies have led to the identification of new genes involved in CMM susceptibility: beyond CDKN2A and CDK4, BAP1, POT1, and MITF were recently identified as potential high-risk melanoma susceptibility genes. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to evaluate the genetic predisposition to CMM in patients from central Italy. METHODS: From 1998 to 2017, genetic testing was performed in 888 cases with multiple primary melanoma and/or familial melanoma. Genetic analyses included the sequencing CDKN2A, CDK4, BAP1, POT1, and MITF in 202 cases, and of only CDKN2A and CDK4 codon 24 in 686 patients. By the evaluation of the personal and familial history, patients were divided in two clinical categories: "low significance" and "high significance" cases. RESULTS: 128 patients (72% belonging to the "high significance" category, 28% belonging to the "low significance" category) were found to carry a DNA change defined as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, variant of unknown significance (VUS)-favoring pathogenic or VUS. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to verify the genetic predisposition in CMM patients for an early diagnosis of further melanomas and/or other tumors associated with the characterized genotype.

Lentigo maligna of the face: A quantitative simple method to identify individual patient risk probability on dermoscopy.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The clinical and dermoscopic differential diagnosis of flat pigmented facial lesions represents a great challenge for the clinicians. Our aim was to report a quantitative method based on dermoscopic features to better classify pigmented facial lesions. METHODS: This is a retrospective case-series study that analysed the dermoscopic features of 582 pigmented facial lesions. RESULTS: The individual patient probability of lentigo maligna (LM) was predicted by a multivariate model, with an accuracy of 0.72. According to the odds ratio at the multivariate analysis, an individual scoring index was assigned to each criterion, and a value of 4.56 was identified as optimal cut-off point. Up to a score of 2.5, the probability that a lesion is an LM is 0. The probability increases from 10 to 50% for a score ranging between 4.5 and 6. It is about 90% for a score of 7. CONCLUSION: The optimal cut-off point obtained and the curve that identifies the probability of a patient having a LM could improve the classification and the management strategies of equivocal pigmented facial lesions.

Dermoscopy of pigmented lesions of the vulva: a retrospective morphological study.

BACKGROUND: The dermoscopic patterns of pigmented skin tumors are influenced by the body site. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and dermoscopic features associated with pigmented vulvar lesions. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical and dermoscopic images of vulvar lesions. The χ² test was used to test the association between clinical data and histopathological diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 42 (32.8%) melanocytic and 86 (67.2%) nonmelanocytic vulvar lesions were analyzed. Nevi significantly prevailed in younger women compared with melanomas and melanosis and exhibited most commonly a globular/cobblestone (51.3%) and a mixed (21.6%) pattern. Dermoscopically all melanomas showed a multicomponent pattern. Melanotic macules showed clinical overlapping features with melanoma, but their dermoscopic patterns differed significantly from those observed in melanomas. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis and management of pigmented vulvar lesions should be based on a good clinicodermoscopic correlation. Dermoscopy may be helpful in the differentiation of solitary melanotic macules from early melanoma.

Enlarging melanocytic lesions with peripheral globular pattern: a dermoscopic and confocal microscopy study.

BACKGROUND: Enlarging melanocytic lesions with peripheral globular pattern (EMLPGP) are a pitfall in dermoscopy. Our aim was to evaluate the meaning of EMLPGP and to assess the use of dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in order to improve the clinical management of this subtype of melanocytic lesions. METHODS: A total of 135 EMLPGP were recruited and, accordingly to the dermoscopy features, were removed; later, an expert dermoscopist reviewed the lesions blinded to histology. Moreover, a subgroup of 63 lesions who underwent also to RCM, were reviewed by an expert confocalist. RESULTS: Patients had a median age of 41 years old and a female prevalence (61.5%). The main anatomic site was the trunk (86%). Histology of the 135 excised EMLPGP disclosed 116 nevi (86%; P<0.0001) and 19 melanomas (14%). On dermoscopy, statistical significance was detected for small globules that were observed in 106 cases (78.5%; P<0.0001), while globules distribution and color did not impact the diagnosis prediction, as well as age, sex or any other patient profile. Considering the RCM, atypical cytology and irregular architecture were detected in 100% of melanomas (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that EMLPGPs are detectable in every age and can be a pitfall in especially in high risk patients with an over-excision of lesions. The presence of peripheral globules should be evaluated considering the overall dermoscopic features. RCM can contribute significantly in the management of lesions trough the detection of cyto-architectural atypia. Therefore, RCM in combination with dermoscopy can optimize the reduction of harmless lesions.

Daylight photodynamic therapy: experience in the treatment of actinic keratosis in the San Gallicano Institute (Rome) and a review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a photo-induced skin lesion. It has been considered by several authors as in-situ squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), that can evolve to invasive SCC (iSCC). Given the malignant potential and because it is impossible predict which AK will evolve in iSCC, it is necessary to treat each lesion. Multiple therapeutic approaches have been described to treat AKs. In addition to the topical drugs, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become an established therapeutic modality for grade I and II of AKs of face and scalp. Recently the daylight photo-dynamic therapy (DL-PDT) has found extensive use in the care of the AK and in the field cancerization. METHODS: The study included 101 patients, 90 males and 11 females, mean age 71, phototype I-II, with multiple AK I and II of the face and the scalp, treated with DL-PDT. Patients were clinically evaluated for 3 months. The aim of this study was to show our experience in Daylight Photodynamic Therapy, to confirm the validity in term of efficacy and safety of DL-PDT for I and II AK of face and scalp and to underline the patient's higher satisfaction for this type of treatment and his availability to be retreated with the DL-PDT. RESULTS: The efficacy was complete in 16 patients (15.8%), in 71 patients (70.3%) was much improved or improved and only in 14 (13.9%) subjects were minimal, while nobody had worsened or changed. The majority of patients (84.2%) patients were satisfied of the efficacy as well of the cosmetic results, only 15 (14.9%) were low satisfied and one patient was not satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the DL-PDT is a good alternative to c-PDT for the treatment of grade I and II AK of the face and scalp and in Rome, as in Southern Europe, it is possible to perform the DL-PDT in almost every month of year.

Correction to: Actinic keratoses: when and how to treat a single lesion.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.23736/S0392-0488.18.06082-0.

Comparing in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy, dermoscopy, and histology of clear-cell acanthoma.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell acanthoma (CCA) is a rare, benign neoplasm of unknown etiology, whose dermoscopic and histological features have been previously described. Usually, CCA can be diagnosed by clinical and dermoscopic examination. In some cases, diagnosis remains uncertain, and histological examination is needed. The aim of this paper was to describe the features of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in diagnosing CCA, compare them with findings on dermoscopy and histology, and evaluate their possible usefulness in CCA evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five lesions diagnosed clinically as CCA were imaged using dermoscopy and RCM. All lesions were surgically excised to confirm the diagnosis and compare the morphological attributes under light microscopy with in vivo imaging. RESULTS: RCM showed well-circumscribed lesions, often edged by a hyperkeratotic collarette with parakeratosis; inflammatory cells in the spinous layer; large keratinocytes; acanthosis with papillomatosis; epidermal disarray; and dilated capillaries forming glomeruloid shapes in the upper dermis. CONCLUSIONS: In this small study, RCM was able to identify most of the established diagnostic histological features of CCA. RCM appears to be a useful tool for in vivo diagnosis of CCA and may help avoid unnecessary biopsies.

Vulvar melanoma: a report of 10 cases and review of the literature.

Despite its low incidence, vulvar melanoma carries a poor prognosis and shows a high tendency to metastasize because the diagnosis is often delayed. Although it is very well known that ultraviolet radiation is an important aetiological factor for cutaneous melanomas in adults, this cannot be considered true for vulvar melanoma. Chronic inflammatory disease, viral infections, irritant agents are the main factors suspected to induce mucosal melanoma. We report 10 cases of vulvar malignant melanoma observed in our institute from 1990 to 2005 and a review of the literature.

Giant and large basal cell carcinoma treated with topical photodynamic therapy.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer affecting Caucasians and, due to its large size or to the poor condition of the patient, it can be difficult to treat it with conventional therapies: in these cases photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL-PDT) may represent a good option. A retrospective non-comparative follow-up study was performed to test the response of giant and large BCC to MAL-PDT. Twelve patients with 14 giant BCC (> or = 5 cm) and 5 patients with 5 large BCC (4-5 cm) were treated with MAL-PDT; they were evaluated 6 months after the end of the treatment to define the initial cure rate, and then at 12 and 36 months for the follow-up. At 6 months the initial cure rate for the 19 BCCs was 95% and at 36 months the overall long-term cure rate was 66%. The follow-up will last up to 5 years. MAL-PDT is a valid option for the treatment of giant and large BCC.

Malignant melanoma and pregnancy.

The occurrence of cancer in pregnant women is not a common phenomenon and the real incidence of malignant melanoma during this period is unknown. Many authors reported a poor prognosis in pregnant women with melanoma compared with non-pregnant women's tumour. Several retrospective reviews reported a worsened prognosis in pregnant women with melanoma and found that progesterone and oestrogen receptors can be detected in melanoma tissue. Other data are in conflict with these opinions; several studies demonstrated that the timing of the disease diagnosis during pregnancy did not appear to influence the risk of mortality. In our report, we reviewed data on women with malignant melanoma who were diagnosed during pregnancy in our institute from 1991 to 2000. We have considered the following parameters: age at diagnosis, histological type and tumour thickness, stage of disease and surgical management and we have compared the clinical and biological behaviour of these melanomas with melanoma in non-pregnant women observed in the same period and in a follow-up of 5 years. In our study, there is no significant difference in outcome and survival rate between pregnant and non-pregnant women with melanoma. During pregnancy, melanocytic skin lesions show a transient modification of dermoscopic pattern; consequently, a close follow-up of pigmented lesions, both clinical and instrumental, is very important during pregnancy and care must be taken in revealing the presence of other risk factors for melanoma.

Dermoscopy of patients with multiple nevi: Improved management recommendations using a comparative diagnostic approach.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome on management recommendations of a comparative approach vs a morphologic approach in evaluating dermoscopic images of lesions from a series of patients with multiple nevi. DESIGN: In a 2-step study, 6 experienced dermoscopists were asked to provide management recommendations (excision or follow-up) for a series of lesions from patients with multiple nevi based on dermoscopic images of the lesions. In the first step, participating dermoscopists evaluated individual images of lesions based only on morphologic structure (morphologic approach). In the second step, the same lesions were grouped by patient, allowing the participants to evaluate the lesions in the context of other nevi from the same patient (comparative approach). SETTING: Academic referral center. PATIENTS: Seventeen patients with 190 lesions (184 monitored nevi, 4 excised nevi, and 2 excised melanomas). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Using pooled data from each step, excision recommendation rates for the comparative approach and the morphologic approach were calculated. RESULTS: Using the morphologic approach, 55.1% of overall recommendations favored excision; using the comparative approach, the rate decreased to 14.1%. The 2 melanomas included in the study were correctly judged to merit excision by all participants in step 1 and in step 2. Conclusion Among patients with multiple nevi, evaluation of equivocal lesions in the context of a patient's other nevi results in a lower rate of excision recommendations compared with evaluation of individual lesions based on morphologic structure alone.

Clinical features predicting identification of CDKN2A mutations in Italian patients with familial cutaneous melanoma.

CDKN2A is the most common, most penetrant gene whom germline mutations predisposing to cutaneous familial melanoma (FAM). Multiple primary melanoma (MPM), early age at onset, >2 affected members and pancreatic cancer are consistent features predicting positive test. However, the impact that cumulative clinical features have on the likelihood of molecular testing is unknown. In this work, genotype-phenotype correlations focused on selected clinical features were performed in 100 Italian FAM unrelated patients. Molecular studies of CDKN2A mutations were performed by direct sequencing. Statistical study included multiple correspondence analysis, uni- and multivariate analyses, and individual patient's probability calculation. MPM, >2 affected family members, Breslow thickness >0.4mm, and age at onset ≤41 years were the unique independent features predicting positive CDKN2A screening. The rate of positive testing ranged from 93.2% in the presence of all of them, to 0.4% in their absence. The contribution of each of them was quantified accordingly, with MPM being the most significant. These findings confirm previous data and add novel insights for the role of accurate patients' selection in CDKN2A screening.

Eccrine poroma: a clinical-dermoscopic study of seven cases.

Eccrine poroma can mimic benign and malignant melanocytic and non-melanocytic lesions. To date, little is known about the dermoscopic features of this condition. Seven histopathologically proven cases of eccrine poroma were examined using dermoscopy by three independent dermatologists. Both glomerular and hairpin vessels were observed in 71% of cases, whereas linear irregular vessels were observed in 43% of cases. A white-to-pink halo surrounding the vessels and multiple pink-white structureless areas were also frequently found (in 86% and 71% of cases, respectively). Three dermoscopic "profiles" were identified, all characterized by the presence of a white-to-pink halo surrounding the vessels, as well as by the association of two additional different features, namely: glomerular vessels and pink-white structureless areas, glomerular and linear irregular vessels, hairpin vessels and linear irregular vessels. However, due to the small number of lesions studied so far, we suggest that these profiles should be considered as likely, but not definitely pathognomonic signs of eccrine poroma.

The ringlike pattern in vulvar melanosis: a new dermoscopic clue for diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Vulvar melanosis is a benign pigmented lesion that may clinically mimic melanoma. Whereas the dermoscopic features of other pigmented skin lesions have been extensively described, little is known about vulvar melanosis. OBSERVATIONS: A retrospective dermoscopic study was conducted on 87 lesions with histopathologically proved melanosis. We describe and define, for the first time to our knowledge, a ringlike pattern, found in 28 of 87 melanotic lesions (32%), characterized by multiple round to oval structures, white to tan, with dark brown, well-defined regular borders. The structureless and globularlike patterns were observed in 18 of 87 lesions (21%), the parallel pattern in 15 (17%), and the cobblestonelike and reticularlike patterns in 4 (5%). A significant association was found between the distribution of multifocal lesions showing a ringlike vs a nonringlike pattern (82% vs 52%; P = .008), whereas a weak association was found between anatomical site and the different patterns (P = .55). The ringlike pattern was frequently combined with multifocality and simultaneous occurrence at the labia majora and the labia minora. CONCLUSION: Dermoscopy can be useful for the clinical detection of vulvar melanosis, and the ringlike pattern may represent a new dermoscopic clue for the diagnosis of this lesion.