Dermoscopy of Melanoma According to Age Groups: A Retrospective Monocentric Study on 285 Patients.

Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with increasing incidence worldwide. Dermoscopy has revolutionized early melanoma detection, but most studies have focused on the general adult population. This study aims to analyze dermoscopic and histological differences in melanoma across age groups, evaluating whether specific patterns vary between younger and older patients.

Germline Non-CDKN2A Variants in Melanoma and Associated Hereditary Cancer Syndromes.

The etiology of melanoma is multifactorial and arises from the interplay of genetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors. The genetic predisposition to melanoma is influenced by a complex interaction among genes exhibiting varying levels of penetrance (high, moderate, and low), each contributing differently to the susceptibility of the disease. Furthermore, penetrance may vary based on the incidence of melanoma across diverse populations and geographical regions.

New and emerging therapies in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) that typically presents in the early phase as inflammatory erythematous patches or plaques, with epidermotropism as the histopathological hallmark of the disease. Traditionally, in the early stages, non-aggressive options represent the first-line strategy: topical corticosteroids, phototherapy, radiotherapy, and occasionally adopting a "wait-and-see" approach for minimally symptomatic patients. In patients with advanced or recurrent disease, good results can be achieved with immune modifiers, chemotherapeutic agents, total skin irradiation, or extracorporeal photochemotherapy, and maintenance therapy is often required.

Monitoring circulating tumor DNA liquid biopsy in stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma patients undergoing adjuvant treatment.

Background: The introduction of adjuvant therapies for patients with resected cutaneous melanoma (CM) has increased the need for sensitive biomarkers for risk stratification and disease monitoring. This study aims to investigate the utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assessment in predicting and reflecting disease status during adjuvant therapy.

Methods: We enrolled 32 patients with resected BRAF-mutated stage III CM receiving adjuvant targeted therapy or immunotherapy.

Multidisciplinary and personalized approach to the management of mycosis fungoides with chlormethine gel: a collection of clinical experiences.

Topical chlormethine (CL) gel formulation was approved by the EMA in 2017 for the treatment of adult patients with mycosis fungoides (MF). To expand the knowledge on the management of MF, this paper provides an overview of clinical practice evidence about the MF diagnostic phase and a collection of clinical experiences to better characterize the use of CL gel in daily practice. Collected cases underline the importance of the concomitant biopsy and clinical evaluation in the diagnostic phase, with the contribution of a multidisciplinary team, and support the use of CL gel as a first-line or adjuvant treatment in selected patients.

Real-Life Outcomes of Adjuvant Targeted Therapy and Anti-PD1 Agents in Stage III/IV Resected Melanoma.

This study was carried out at the Dermatologic Clinic of the University of Turin, Italy, to assess the effectiveness and safety of adjuvant therapy in patients who received either targeted therapy (TT: dabrafenib + trametinib) or immunotherapy (IT: nivolumab or pembrolizumab) for up to 12 months. A total of 163 patients participated, including 147 with stage III and 19 with stage IV with no evidence of disease. The primary outcomes were relapse-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS).

Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Diagnostic and Therapeutic Trends amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.

is missing (Short communication).

Advances in the pharmacological management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Introduction: Current treatment guidelines for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) advocate a stage-driven approach, considering clinical presentation, symptom burden, and patient comorbidities. Therapy selection hinges on factors like disease subtype, severity, and treatment availability. The primary goal is to enhance the quality of life by mitigating symptoms, as achieving lasting complete remission is infrequent.

Italian nivolumab Expanded Access Programme in melanoma adjuvant setting: patient outcomes and safety profile.

Introduction: The CheckMate 238 randomised study demonstrated the relevant benefit in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) of nivolumab versus ipilimumab in resected stage IIIB-C or IV melanoma patients with a tolerable safety profile.

Materials And Methods: From November 2018 to June 2019, 611 patients with stage III and IV resected melanoma were enroled to receive nivolumab as part of an Italian Expanded Access Programme (EAP). According to stages, 77% were stage III while 141 (23%) were stage IV with no evidence of disease (NED).

Outcomes in patients with -mutated melanoma and brain metastases at baseline treated with dabrafenib plus trametinib.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels above the upper limit of normal (ULN) are associated with poor prognosis in patients with melanoma. Although treatment with the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib have demonstrated long-term clinical benefit in patients with melanoma, data on their efficacy in patients with BM are limited.

Methods: DESCRIBE Italy is an observational, retrospective, real-world study evaluating dabrafenib plus trametinib in 499 patients with -mutant stage III unresectable or stage IV melanoma from various sites across Italy.

Clinical Characteristics of an Italian Patient Population with Advanced BCC and Real-Life Evaluation of Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor Safety and Effectiveness.

Background: Advanced basal cell carcinoma (aBCC) represents a complex and clinically heterogeneous group of lesions for which curative surgery and/or radiotherapy is unlikely. Systemic therapy with hedgehog pathway inhibitors (HHIs) changed the treatment landscape for this complex patient population.

Objectives: The aims of the present study are to describe the clinical characteristics of a real-life Italian cohort diagnosed with aBCC and to investigate effectiveness and safety of HHI.

Obesity and immune-checkpoint inhibitors in advanced melanoma: A meta-analysis of survival outcomes from clinical studies.

Obesity is a chronic inflammatory condition that has been associated with different types of cancer. However, its role in melanoma incidence, progression, and response to immune-checkpoint-inhibitors (ICI) is still controversial. On the one hand, increased levels of lipids and adipokines can promote tumor proliferation and several genes associated with fatty acid metabolism have been found to be upregulated in melanomas.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Malignant Melanoma of the Head and Neck: A Single Center Experience.

Purpose: This study evaluated the characteristics of patients with head and neck (H&N) melanoma who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) and assessed the clinical course of patients categorizing subjects according to SLNB status and melanoma location (scalp area vs. non-scalp areas). Methods: Patients undergoing SLNB for melanoma of H&N from 2015 to 2021 were prospectively characterized according to sentinel lymph node (SLN) status.

Synchronous occurrence of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma and cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease in distinct lesions: A unique association.

Rosai-Dorfman disease, also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), is a rare subtype of reactive histiocytosis which is seldom associated with Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. To date, the coexistence in the same patient of extra nodal SHML and primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (PCBCL) has been reported in the literature, as metachronous diagnosis in the anatomical area of the original PCBCL or synchronous occurrence in the same lesions. However, no data have been published as for synchronous occurrence of the two pathological entities in distinct anatomical sites.

Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides: Current Guidance and Experience from Clinical Practice.

Introduction: Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is the most frequent variant of mycosis fungoides (MF), with clinical features which differ from the classic form. As for therapeutic options, the latest guidelines on MF agree on a stage-driven strategy, in consideration of clinical presentation, symptom burden and patient's comorbidities.

Materials And Methods: A search on MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library was conducted to gather the latest evidence on FMF clinical management.

Comparison Between First Line Target Therapy and Immunotherapy in Different Prognostic Categories of BRAF Mutant Metastatic Melanoma Patients: An Italian Melanoma Intergroup Study.

Background: BRAF and MEK inhibitors target therapies (TT) and AntiPD1 immunotherapies (IT) are available first-line treatments for BRAF v600 mutant metastatic melanoma patients. ECOG PS (E), baseline LDH (L), and baseline number of metastatic sites (N) are well-known clinical prognostic markers that identify different prognostic categories of patients. Direct comparison between first-line TT and IT in different prognostic categories could help in first line treatment decision.