Treatment of various types of basal cell carcinoma with topical 5% imiquimod in the elderly who refused surgical intervention: a case series.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common non-melanoma skin cancer in the elderly population, causing significant local destruction and image deformities. Although surgical excision is the primary treatment modality, preservation of functions, cosmetic concerns and patient's age, as well as tumor prognostic factors, aid in treatment selection. Topical imiquimod provides immunomodulatory effects by increasing the release of proinflammatory cytokines, and is currently approved and funded for pathologically diagnosed superficial BCC. We report herein the successful results of topical imiquimod in four cases of BCC, nodular and large superficial types, all of whom refused surgical intervention. The lesions regressed in all except one in whom more than one BCC of superficial type was present. She is still on follow-up for intermittent cryotherapy sessions. Imiquimod is a good alternative to surgery in elderly patients who have unwillingness to surgery and are often poor candidates for surgery.

Might psoriasis be a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

BACKGROUND: It is believed that psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease influencing all systems and characterized by intermittent partial or complete obstruction of the upper respiratory tract during sleep. In our study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of OSAS in patients previously diagnosed with psoriasis in order to investigate a potential association between chronic inflammation psoriasis and OSAS. METHODS: Thirty-three patients diagnosed with psoriasis by biopsy were enrolled into the study. Demographics of patients, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were examined. All patients underwent polysomnography. RESULTS: OSAS was determined in 18 of 33 patients with psoriasis (54.5 %). Eleven of the 18 patients had mild, 2 had moderate, and 5 had severe OSAS. Mean age was significantly higher in the OSAS group in comparison with non-OSAS group (54.4 ± 15.5 vs 39.4 ± 11.8, respectively, p < 0.05). Mean PASI was higher in the OSAS group in comparison with that of non-OSAS group, and the difference was not significant, although mean DLQI was lower (p > 0.05). It is believed that this was caused by the small patient population. CONCLUSION: We detected that the frequency of OSAS in patients with psoriasis was much higher than that in the normal population. Though OSAS is not easy to diagnose without detailed testing, it should be investigated in psoriatic patients with long disease duration and high PASI score, and patients refractory to conventional systemic treatment. Physicians treating patients with psoriatic disease should incorporate this life-altering comorbidity into their assessment of disease and selection of treatment.