A case of cutaneous variant of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma in which dermoscopy revealed telangiectasias associated with erythematous induration.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare type of extranodal, diffuse, large B-cell lymphoma characterized by the selective growth of lymphoma cells within the lumen of small blood vessels, with no lymphadenopathy or masses. Herein, we report a cutaneous variant of IVLBCL that is rare in Asia. A healthy 73-year-old Japanese woman presented to our hospital with painful erythematous indurations and telangiectasia of the lower extremities, which was confirmed on dermoscopy. Physical examination revealed no systemic involvement, and laboratory parameters were within normal ranges. No abnormal fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake was detected on 18FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Histopathological examination revealed proliferation and dilatation of blood vessels in the subcutis layer, occluded by CD20-positive atypical lymphoid cells. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with a cutaneous variant of IVLBCL without systemic symptoms. In conclusion, it is important to confirm telangiectasia using dermoscopy and perform skin biopsies in patients presenting with sudden-onset erythematous induration.

Favorable efficacy of S-1 treatment for locoregionally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is usually treated with surgery; however, locoregionally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma can be difficult to resect. Although recent guidelines from Western countries recommend using anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibodies, including cemiplimab and pembrolizumab, there are no approved anti-PD-1 antibodies for locoregional cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in Asian countries. S-1 is an oral drug with a low incidence of severe toxicity that can be used for head and neck cancers, including head and neck locoregional cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, in Japan. We retrospectively evaluated patients with head and neck locoregional cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with S-1 at two Japanese institutions (2008-2022). The initial dosage was determined by the body surface area (<1.25 m2 : 80 mg/day, 1.25-1.5 m2 : 100 mg/day, ≥1.5 m2: 120 mg/day) for 28 consecutive days. The outcome measures were objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Fourteen patients were included. The ORR was 78%, and the complete response (CR) rate was 64.3%. The median PFS and OS were not reached (NR) (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.9 months-NR) and NR (95% CI, 13.8 months-NR), respectively. The 12-month PFS and OS rates were 51% and 85%, respectively. Six of the nine patients who achieved CR showed no recurrence during the follow-up period (median follow-up, 24.7 months). After CR, three patients experienced recurrence. Among these, two resumed S-1 treatment and subsequently underwent salvage surgery, resulting in a sustained absence of recurrence. One patient developed lung metastasis and died, although S-1 therapy was resumed. Only one patient (7.1%) developed grade 3 anemia. S-1 showed favorable efficacy and low toxicity in patients with head and neck locoregionally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. S-1 may be a good alternative to the anti-PD-1 antibody for treating head and neck locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma.

Current surgical management for melanoma.

Melanoma is a major malignant cutaneous neoplasm with a high mortality rate. In recent years, the treatment of melanoma has developed dramatically with the invention of new therapeutic agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and molecular-targeted agents. These agents are available as adjuvant therapies for postoperative patients with stage IIB, IIC, and III melanomas. Furthermore, neoadjuvant therapy has been studied in several global clinical trials and has demonstrated promising and favorable clinical efficacy, mainly in patients with palpable regional lymph nodes. A recent large phase III clinical trial investigating early lymph node dissection for sentinel lymph node metastases demonstrated no survival benefits. Based on these data, surgery should be reconsidered as an appropriate treatment modality for melanoma. The need for invasive surgical procedures will be reduced with the invention of effective adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies and novel clinical trial data on regional lymph node dissection. However, surgery still plays an important role in treating early-stage melanoma, accurately determining the disease stage, and effective palliative treatment for advanced melanoma. In this article, we focus on surgery for primary tumors, regional lymph nodes, and metastatic sites in an era of remarkably revolutionary drug treatments for melanoma.