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Seborrheic keratosis (SK) is a common, benign tumor that can occur on everybody site and can be conservatively managed. Cosmetic concerns, especially when a lesion involves the facial area, are the most common reason for excision. SK shows male gender preponderance and increasing age is an independent association with the condition. Even though more prevalent in the elderly, it has also been reported in younger age groups like adolescents and young adults. Precise pathogenesis is still obscure, but ultra-violet exposure represents a predisposing factor to SK by altering the biochemical concentration and expression of factors like Glutamine deaminases, endothelin, and stem cell factor. Moreover, the accumulation of amyloid-associated protein has also been postulated. Involvement of genitalia has been associated with human papillomavirus infection. Recently, Merkel cell polyomavirus nucleic acid was also detected in SK. Several oncogenic mutations involving FGFR-3 and FOXN1 have been identified. SKs are usually classified clinically and histologically. Dermatoscopy is a noninvasive alternative diagnostic technique widely used in differentiating SK from other benign and malignant tumors. In terms of treatment, topical agents, shave dissection, cryosurgery, electrodesiccation, laser application and curettage under local anesthesia are safe methods for eradication of SKs, mostly for cosmetic purposes. Though generally safe, the latter techniques may occasionally cause post-procedure depigmentation, scarring, and recurrence. Nanosecond-pulsed electric field technology is a promising new technique with fewer side-effects., (© 2022 The Authors. Dermatologic Therapy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Brodalumab's clinical efficacy and favorable safety profile have been demonstrated during controlled clinical trials, but real-world data remain scarce. BrIDGE, an ongoing 104 week, observational, prospective, multicenter study conducted in Greece, enrolled moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis patients, with body surface area (BSA) > 10 or psoriasis area severity index score (PASI) > 10 and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) > 10, based on European consensus, initiating brodalumab treatment as per routine clinical practice. This interim analysis includes evaluations 12-16 weeks following treatment initiation. Key efficacy endpoints included proportion of patients achieving static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) score of "clear/almost clear" (0/1) and a reduction ≥75%, 90%, 100% from baseline in PASI (PASI75, PASI90, and PASI100) at weeks 12-16. Other endpoints included time to achieve PASI100, changes in self-reported DLQI and psoriasis symptom inventory (PSI) at weeks 12-16. From 200 patients (mean age 51.4 years, 70% male, mean disease duration 13.8 years) enrolled, 72.8% achieved sPGA of 0/1, whereas 70.2%, 47.5%, and 32.0% achieved corresponding PASI75, PASI90, and PASI100 responses following 12-16 weeks of brodalumab treatment, according to the "as-observed" analysis. The mean time to achieve PASI100 was 13.7 ± 1.2 weeks for the 32% who achieved PASI100. Concurrent decreases in mean DLQI and PSI were observed. Furthermore, 90% adherence to brodalumab was noted and nine adverse events were reported. Brodalumab confers substantial clinical improvements short-term as reflected by high levels of skin clearance in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis patients within 12-16 weeks of treatment under everyday clinical conditions, followed by improvements in symptoms and quality of life and a favorable safety profile., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Treatment of alopecia areata is often challenging, especially for patients with extended disease. Contact immunotherapy with diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) has been reported as an effective topical treatment but the exact immunologic mechanism of diverting the immune response is still unknown. We investigated the efficacy of topical immunotherapy with DPCD in acute, intermediate, and chronic lesions of AA and the response rate was associated with perifollicular infiltrate of T regulatory cells. Approximately two-thirds of our patients (67.5%) had a response rate > 50% after 6 months of DPCP therapy. Patients with acute and intermediate onset of the disease were more likely to respond to the therapy. Although responders demonstrated FOXP3+ positive lymphocytes in immunohistochemistry, this association could not be confirmed by statistical significance (p = 0.052). In patients with multiple lesions, that had different chronological onset, the lesions with more recent onset responded faster than lesions of longer duration., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Sarcoidosis and sarcoid-like reactions (SLRs) may develop in association with various malignancies, as well as in association to certain oncologic drugs, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We aimed to perform a narrative review with regard to the development of ICIs-associated sarcoidosis or SLRs, and to discuss the corresponding diagnostic and therapeutic challenges raised in this scenario. Apropos of a melanoma patient developing SLRs while treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab, we searched for clinically evident, ICIs-associated sarcoidosis or SLRs in the English literature. We recorded the oncologic characteristics, including type of malignancy and type of ICI, the phenotypic characteristics of sarcoidosis/SLRs, as well as the impact on immunotherapy. Including our patient, we identified 80 ICIs-associated sarcoidosis or SLRs cases. Both sexes were equally affected (40 F/40 M) and the most common malignancy was melanoma (65/80, 81.3%). Concerning the oncologic treatment, there was a predilection for pembrolizumab (23/80, 28.7%), followed by the ipilimumab/nivolumab combination (21/80, 26.3%), ipilimumab (18/80, 22.5%), nivolumab (16/80, 20.0%). Although in the majority of the cases (52/80, 65.0%) there was no need for systemic prednisolone for the management of sarcoidosis, a significant proportion of patients finally discontinued ICIs treatment (44/80, 55.0%). Phenotypically, sarcoidosis and SLRs highly imitate oncologic progression posing diagnostic difficulties. A therapeutic dilemma is also raised when there is a need for systemic prednisolone, since the latter may jeopardize the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy. Sarcoidosis and SLRs, though rare, can present in oncologic patients treated with ICIs. Clinicians should be aware of this possibility and the related diagnostic and therapeutic challenges they have to face in this scenario., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Dermoscopy of mucosal surface termed "mucoscopy" is an upcoming offshoot of dermatological imaging. However, the literature on mucoscopy is limited to individual cases and small case series. An organized review or systematic analysis of mucoscopy is lacking. The aim of this review was to summarize the published literature on mucoscopic features of benign conditions affecting the oral mucosa and semi-mucosa. Additionally, the results of mucoscopic features of diseases, which have not been described before have been presented., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The skin is the most common organ of involvement during the course of lupus erythematosus (LE). The literature data concerning the dermatoscopic patterns of the different clinical variants of cutaneous LE (CLE), namely chronic (CCLE), subacute (SCLE), and acute (ACLE), are scarce. To determine the dermatoscopic spectrum of CLE and to correlate the dermatoscopic features with the histological findings. This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter, cohort study. We evaluated the dermatoscopic features in a cohort of patients diagnosed with CLE. Furthermore, we investigated their frequency per clinical subtype and correlated them with the anatomic alterations. We included 79 patients. The most prevalent dermatoscopic features of CCLE included follicular plugs (86.4%, P < .01), patchy distribution (75%, P = .1) of mostly linear curved vessels (56.8%, P = .8), white scales (68.2%, P < .01), and structureless white color (68.2%, P < .01). The most common criteria of SCLE were patchy distribution (90%, P = .1) of mostly linear curved vessels (53.3%, P = .8) and fine white scales (60%, P < .01), while ACLE was characterized by erythema (100%, P < .05) and patchy distribution (100%, P = .1) of mostly dotted vessels (60%, P = .4). Follicular plugs/rosettes in dermatoscopy strongly correlated with follicular plugs in histology (rho = 0.919). Hyperkeratosis significantly correlated with white (rho = 0.644) and yellow/brown scales (rho = 0.225), telangiectasia with linear curved vessels (rho = 0.321) and white color with dermal fibrosis (rho = 0.623). Depending on CLE subtype, distinct dermatoscopic patterns are recognized. In CLE there is a high correlation between certain dermatoscopic criteria and the underneath anatomic alteration., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer in white skin individuals. The treatment of choice is surgical excision, but several other therapeutic choices are available and might also be efficient and cost-effective in selected cases of low-risk BCC or when surgery is complicate or contraindicated. The aim of the current study was to analyze the applied treatments for BCC in the real-life practice of a tertiary hospital, and investigate factors associated to the tumor and the patients that might influence the treatment selection of clinicians. Data on all BCCs treated from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2019 were extracted. A total of 751 BCCs from 585 patients were included. The baseline characteristics of patients and tumors, the type of applied treatment and the histopathologic report when available were analyzed. Most tumors were located on the head/neck (64.2%). The most frequently applied treatment was surgical excision (580/751, 77.2%). In 22.8% of tumors a nonsurgical treatment was selected. The most frequently selected alternative treatments were, imiquimod, cryosurgery, their combination (immunocryosurgery), and vismodegib. A pretreatment diagnosis of superficial BCC was associated with a 12-fold increased probability of selecting a nonsurgical treatment except of vismodegib. Every added year of age increased the probability of selecting a nonsurgical treatment by 3-fold. Every added mm of diameter increased the possibility of vismodegib use by 4%. Surgery is the most frequently applied BCC treatment, but nonsurgical modalities do also have an essential role in real settings., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) patients are predominantly above 70 years of age, with limited tolerance to the side effects of the immunosuppressive drugs. Advancements in our understanding of the pathophysiology of BP have led to the development of molecules which target specific pathways involved in induction and perpetuation of disease. Patients with BP Disease Area Index above 60 and less than 100 were split into two groups-one with high and the other with normal levels of IgE. The tested parameters included eosinophils' count, total IgE serum level, and interleukins (IL) 16, 17A, and 23 counts in the peripheral blood and skin bulla serum, before any therapeutic intervention. Thirty individuals fulfilled the criteria for enrollment. Patients with high IgE blood serum levels had significantly higher levels of IL17A and normal IL23 levels in blood and bulla serum. Patients with normal serum IgE levels had slightly higher IL23 levels in blood and bulla serum. The eosinophil count was positively related to IL17 blood serum level and negatively related to IL23. IL16 did not differ in the two groups. BP patients may represent a group of patients benefiting most substantially from the introduction of nonimmunosuppressive therapeutics into the treatment regimens for their disease. Clinical criteria and immune biomarkers are needed for making the best therapeutic choice., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune form of nonscarring hair loss. The aim of the study was to assess the serum concentration of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and CD8 cell expression in lesional skin biopsies in correlation with the disease severity, activity, duration, and trichoscopic findings in patients with AA. The study included 30 patients with AA and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Trichoscopy was performed and photographs were captured for the alopecic areas, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique was used for serum level of IFN-γ assessment and immunohistochemistry for CD8 cells. The results obtained indicate that IFN-γ serum level in patients was significantly higher than that of control subjects, and significantly correlated with the activity status and the duration of the disease. CD8+ T cells infiltrate intensity significantly correlated with severity. Yellow dots (YDs), vellus hair, black dot, and exclamation marks were the most common trichoscopic findings. The presence of black dots significantly correlated to the disease activity, duration, serum IFN-γ, and CD8+ infiltrate intensity. The presence of YDs significantly correlated with the mean serum IFN-γ level. Exclamation marks significantly correlated with the disease activity and the degree of CD8+ infiltrate. In conclusion, trichoscopy could be a reliable indicator of the IFN-γ serum level and CD8+ T cell infiltrate intensity in AA patient., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)