Combined treatment of earlobe keloids with shaving, cryosurgery, and intralesional steroid injection: a 1-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Earlobe keloids are benign, fibrous proliferations that occur in predisposed persons at sites of cutaneous injury. No single best therapeutic modality is indicated. OBJECTIVE: To describe a 1-year follow-up of 12 patients with earlobe keloids treated by shaving followed by cryosurgery and intralesional injection of triamcinolone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients were treated with combined surgery and cryosurgery. RESULTS: After 1 year, major response was observed in nine cases (75%) and moderate response in two cases (16%); one case had a relapse 5 months after the surgery. CONCLUSION: These results are highly encouraging because all patients showed improvement. Shaving associated with cryosurgery seems to be a useful treatment for large keloids scars.

Failure of imiquimod 5% cream to prevent recurrence of surgically excised trunk keloids.

BACKGROUND: Keloids are characterized by benign proliferation of fibroblasts in the setting of an altered cytokine profile, with a high recurrence rate after surgical treatment. Imiquimod is a topically applied immune-response modifier. Recently, auxiliary therapy using imiquimod 5% cream to prevent keloid recurrence after excisional surgery was reported to have had good results. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of topical imiquimod 5% cream applied after surgical excision and primary closure of trunk keloids in the prevention of recurrence. METHOD: Nine patients with a keloid lesion on the trunk were treated with surgical excision and primary closure. Daily application of imiquimod 5% cream for 8 weeks was initiated the night of surgery. The patients were evaluated 2, 4, 8, 12, and 20 weeks after. RESULTS: Keloid recurrence occurred in eight patients, seven of them 12 weeks after surgery. We lost track of one patient. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that imiquimod 5% cream is not effective in preventing recurrence of trunk keloids after surgical excision. Although this is a small case series, results strongly discourage other studies using imiquimod 5% cream in the prevention of surgically excised trunk keloids.

Brazilian guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of primary cutaneous melanoma - Part II.

The last Brazilian guidelines on melanoma were published in 2002. Development in diagnosis and treatment made updating necessary. The coordinators elaborated ten clinical questions, based on PICO system. A Medline search, according to specific MeSH terms for each of the 10 questions was performed and articles selected were classified from A to D according to level of scientific evidence. Based on the results, recommendations were defined and classified according to scientific strength. The present Guidelines were divided in two parts for editorial and publication reasons. In this second part, the following clinical questions were answered: 1) which patients with primary cutaneous melanoma benefit from sentinel lymph node biopsy? 2) Follow-up with body mapping is indicated for which patients? 3) Is preventive excision of acral nevi beneficious to patients? 4) Is preventive excision of giant congenital nevi beneficious to patients? 5) How should stages 0 and I primary cutaneous melanoma patients be followed?

Guidelines of the Brazilian Dermatology Society for diagnosis, treatment and follow up of primary cutaneous melanoma--Part I.

The last Brazilian guidelines on melanoma were published in 2002. Development in diagnosis and treatment made updating necessary. The coordinators elaborated ten clinical questions, based on PICO system. A Medline search, according to specific MeSH terms for each of the 10 questions was performed and articles selected were classified from A to D according to level of scientific evidence. Based on the results, recommendations were defined and classified according to scientific strength. The present Guidelines were divided in two parts for editorial and publication reasons. In the first part, the following clinical questions were answered: 1) The use of dermoscopy for diagnosis of primary cutaneous melanoma brings benefits for patients when compared with clinical examination? 2) Does dermoscopy favor diagnosis of nail apparatus melanoma? 3) Is there a prognostic difference when incisional or excisional biopsies are used? 4) Does revision by a pathologist trained in melanoma contribute to diagnosis and treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma? What margins should be used to treat lentigo maligna melanoma and melanoma in situ?

Brazilian guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of primary cutaneous melanoma - Part II

Abstract The last Brazilian guidelines on melanoma were published in 2002. Development in diagnosis and treatment made updating necessary. The coordinators elaborated ten clinical questions, based on PICO system. A Medline search, according to specific MeSH terms for each of the 10 questions was performed and articles selected were classified from A to D according to level of scientific evidence. Based on the results, recommendations were defined and classified according to scientific strength. The present Guidelines were divided in two parts for editorial and publication reasons. In this second part, the following clinical questions were answered: 1) which patients with primary cutaneous melanoma benefit from sentinel lymph node biopsy? 2) Follow-up with body mapping is indicated for which patients? 3) Is preventive excision of acral nevi beneficious to patients? 4) Is preventive excision of giant congenital nevi beneficious to patients? 5) How should stages 0 and I primary cutaneous melanoma patients be followed?.

Guidelines of the Brazilian Dermatology Society for diagnosis, treatment and follow up of primary cutaneous melanoma - Part I

Abstract: The last Brazilian guidelines on melanoma were published in 2002. Development in diagnosis and treatment made updating necessary. The coordinators elaborated ten clinical questions, based on PICO system. A Medline search, according to specific MeSH terms for each of the 10 questions was performed and articles selected were classified from A to D according to level of scientific evidence. Based on the results, recommendations were defined and classified according to scientific strength. The present Guidelines were divided in two parts for editorial and publication reasons. In the first part, the following clinical questions were answered: 1) The use of dermoscopy for diagnosis of primary cutaneous melanoma brings benefits for patients when compared with clinical examination? 2) Does dermoscopy favor diagnosis of nail apparatus melanoma? 3) Is there a prognostic difference when incisional or excisional biopsies are used? 4) Does revision by a pathologist trained in melanoma contribute to diagnosis and treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma? What margins should be used to treat lentigo maligna melanoma and melanoma in situ?.

Treatment of cutaneous tumors with topical 5% imiquimod cream.

INTRODUCTION: There are various approaches to the treatment of cutaneous tumors; one of them is treatment with imiquimod, a synthetic toll-like receptor agonist with a low molecular weight that offers a topical, noninvasive, and non-surgical therapeutic option. The main objective of our study was to provide data on 89 patients who used a 5% imiquimod cream for the treatment of cutaneous tumors at the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the Dermatology Department of Hospital das Clinicas from 2003 to 2008. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we present our experience in the treatment of 123 cutaneous tumors of various types, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Bowen's disease, erythroplasia of Queyrat, Paget's disease, and trichoepithelioma, with 5% imiquimod cream from 2003 to 2008 in the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the Dermatology Department of Hospital das Clinicas. Patients were divided into two separate groups according to their diagnosis and comorbidities; these comorbidities included epidermodysplasia verruciformis, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, basal cell nevus syndrome, Brooke-Spiegler syndrome, HIV, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, and kidney transplantation. Treatment duration, response to imiquimod, follow-up, recurrence, and local and systemic reactions associated with use of the drug were analyzed. Epidemiological data were obtained and cure rates were calculated. RESULTS: The ratio of women to men was 1.28:1, and the mean age was 63.1 years. Tumors were located mainly on the face, back, trunk, and legs. For patients with comorbidities, the overall cure rate was 38%. These specific patients demonstrated cure rates of 83.5% for superficial BCC and 50% for Bowen's disease. Aggressive BCC and superficial and nodular BCC did not present a good response to treatment. Trichoepitheliomas and nodular BCC showed a partial response, and erythroplasia of Queyrat showed a complete response. For patients without comorbidities, the overall cure rate was 73%. For these patients, the cure rates were 85.7% for superficial and nodular BCC, 88% for superficial BCC, 57% for Bowen's disease, 50% for nodular BCC, and 50% for aggressive BCC. One SCC lesion demonstrated a complete response, and tumors caused by Paget's disease and erythroplasia of Queyrat presented a partial response. None of the tumors considered as clinically cured recurred. Thirty-seven lesions demonstrated no response to imiquimod. Having a cutaneous comorbidity, high-risk tumors such as mixed aggressive BCC (sclerodermiform or micronodular), nodular BCC, or Bowen's disease, and presenting no local reaction to imiquimod were considered as risk factors for a worse prognosis. We demonstrate that patients with no response to imiquimod, even when they demonstrated no local reaction, can undergo another cycle of six weeks of imiquimod treatment and show a complete response. The healing pattern led to good cosmetic outcomes, and the side effects were tolerable. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience confirms imiquimod as an effective treatment option for several types of cutaneous tumors, especially in patients without the cutaneous comorbidities cited above and with low-risk tumors. Imiquimod has a relatively low cost compared to other therapeutic options and can be delivered via ambulatory care to patients with surgery contraindications, and its side effects are tolerable.

Treatment of cutaneous tumors with topical 5 percent imiquimod cream

INTRODUCTION: There are various approaches to the treatment of cutaneous tumors; one of them is treatment with imiquimod, a synthetic toll-like receptor agonist with a low molecular weight that offers a topical, noninvasive, and non-surgical therapeutic option. The main objective of our study was to provide data on 89 patients who used a 5 percent imiquimod cream for the treatment of cutaneous tumors at the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the Dermatology Department of Hospital das Clinicas from 2003 to 2008. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we present our experience in the treatment of 123 cutaneous tumors of various types, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Bowen's disease, erythroplasia of Queyrat, Paget's disease, and trichoepithelioma, with 5 percent imiquimod cream from 2003 to 2008 in the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the Dermatology Department of Hospital das Clinicas. Patients were divided into two separate groups according to their diagnosis and comorbidities; these comorbidities included epidermodysplasia verruciformis, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, basal cell nevus syndrome, Brooke-Spiegler syndrome, HIV, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, and kidney transplantation. Treatment duration, response to imiquimod, follow-up, recurrence, and local and systemic reactions associated with use of the drug were analyzed. Epidemiological data were obtained and cure rates were calculated. RESULTS: The ratio of women to men was 1.28:1, and the mean age was 63.1 years. Tumors were located mainly on the face, back, trunk, and legs. For patients with comorbidities, the overall cure rate was 38 percent. These specific patients demonstrated cure rates of 83.5 percent for superficial BCC and 50 percent for Bowen's disease. Aggressive BCC and superficial and nodular BCC did not present a good response to treatment. Trichoepitheliomas and nodular BCC showed a partial response, and erythroplasia of Queyrat showed ...

Correlação clínica e ultra-sonográfica na esclerodermia localizada cutânea / Clinical and ultrasonographic correlation in localized cutaneous scleroderma", "_i": "en

OBJETIVO: Apresentar os aspectos ultra-sonográficos da esclerodermia localizada e relacioná-los com os aspectos clínicos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas 23 lesões de esclerodermia localizada em 21 pacientes. Foi utilizado equipamento Logiq 700 com transdutor linear de 6-14 MHz. Foram avaliados, pelo dermatologista, o estágio da doença (inflamatório ou atrófico), e pelo radiologista, a espessura e a ecogenicidade da derme nas regiões afetadas e sãs adjacentes. Foi feito acompanhamento de sete casos após tratamento. RESULTADOS: Todas as lesões apresentaram perda do padrão ultra-sonográfico normal da derme. Os casos de lesão clinicamente atrófica (52,2 por cento; 12/23) corresponderam a redução da espessura e aumento da ecogenicidade da derme e os casos de lesão clinicamente inflamatória (47,8 por cento; 11/23) corresponderam a aumento da espessura e redução da ecogenicidade da derme. Controles pós-tratamento mostraram alterações na espessura da derme. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados ultra-sonográficos nos permitem associar o aumento da espessura e a redução da ecogenicidade da derme com a fase inflamatória da doença, e a redução da espessura e o aumento da ecogenicidade da derme com a fase atrófica da doença. Notamos também que é possível quantificar a espessura da derme e usar essa informação no controle pós-tratamento associada à avaliação clínica.

OBJECTIVE: To describe ultrasonographic findings of localized cutaneous scleroderma and correlating them with clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three lesions of localized cutaneous scleroderma in 21 patients were evaluated with a Logiq 700 equipment coupled with a 6-14 MHz linear transducer. The disease stage (athrophic or inflammatory) was evaluated by a dermatologist, and the ultrasonographic findings (skin thickness and echogenicity) for both the affected and adjacent healthy regions were evaluated by a radiologist. Seven of the cases underwent post-treatment follow-up. RESULTS: All the affected regions presented loss of the normal ultrasonographic pattern of the dermis. Cases with clinically atrophic lesions (52.2 percent; 12/23) corresponded to reduction in the thickness and increase in the echogenicity of the dermis, and clinically inflammatory lesions (47.8 percent; 11/23) corresponded to decrease in echogenicity and increase in the thickness of the dermis. Post-treatment follow-up demonstrated alterations in the dermis thickness. CONCLUSION: The ultrasonographic findings allow the correlation between increase in the thickness/decrease in echogenicity of the dermis with the inflammatory phase of the disease, and decrease of the thickness/increase in echogenicity of the dermis with the atrophic phase. Also, it could be observed that it is possible to quantify the thickness of the dermis, utilizing this information associated with the clinical evaluation in the post-treatment follow-up.

É a biópsia incisional útil na classificação dos carcinomas basocelulares? / Is incisional biopsy helpful in the histopathological classification of basal cell carcinoma?

FUNDAMENTOS: O carcinoma basocelular é tumor constituído por diferentes tipos histológicos, que demonstram diversificado potencial de agressividade. Sabe-se que a correlação entre os tipos histológicos de carcinoma basocelular encontrados no material de biópsia pré-operatória e no material da peça cirúrgica excisional não é total. Na literatura essa correlação varia de 42,7 a 80 por cento. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a correlação entre os tipos histológicos de carcinoma basocelular nas biópsias incisionais e respectivas peças cirúrgicas excisionais. MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva de 70 casos de carcinoma basocelular primário submetidos a biópsia pré-operatória e cirurgia excisional. A avaliação histológica foi feita de modo padronizado, determinando tanto o tipo histológico predominante quanto os tipos histológicos acessórios encontrados no material das biópsias préoperatórias e nas peças cirúrgicas excisionais. RESULTADOS: Houve 78,3 por cento de correlação entre tipo histológico predominante da biópsia e peça cirúrgica e 87 por cento de correlação entre tipo histológico predominante e/ou tipo histológico acessório da biópsia e tipo histológico predominante da peça cirúrgica. CONCLUSÃO: A biópsia pré-operatória é útil para predizer o tipo histológico predominante de carcinoma basocelular da peça cirúrgica excisional na maioria dos casos. No entanto, é importante ressaltar que, quando descrito apenas o tipo histológico predominante encontrado na biópsia, ocorre 21,7 por cento de falha no diagnóstico.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma is a tumor with many histologic types, each one with different aggressiveness potential. The known correlation between histologic types found in preoperative biopsy samples and excisional specimens is not absolute. Correspondence rates vary from 42.7 to 80.0 percent in medical literature. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between histologic types of basal cell carcinoma in preoperative biopsies and their respective excised surgical specimens. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 70 primary basal cell carcinoma cases submitted to preoperative biopsies and excisional surgery. The histologic evaluation was performed according to standard practice determining both the predominant and secondary histologic types found in preoperative biopsy materials and surgically excised specimens. RESULTS: There was a 78.3 percent correlation rate between the predominant histologic type of the biopsy and the surgical specimen, and an 87 percent correspondence between the predominant histologic type and/or secondary histologic type of the biopsy and/or predominant histologic type of the surgical specimen. CONCLUSION: The preoperative biopsy is useful for predicting the predominant basal cell carcinoma histologic type of the surgical excisional specimen in most cases. Nevertheless, when only the predominant histologic type found in biopsy is described, there is a 21.7 percent failure rate in diagnosis. When both predominant histologic types and secondary histologic types found in the biopsy are described, diagnostic failure drops to 13 percent.

Terapia de reposicao hormonal em pacientes de risco para melanoma maligno / Hormone replacement therapy in patient at risk for malignant melanoma

Os autores estudaram os fatores epidemiologicos relacionados ao melanoma maligno, ressaltando a influencia dos esteroides sexuais nesta doenca