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Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2024Atypical Spitz tumor (AST) is an intermediate category among Spitz melanocytic neoplasms. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed in the clinical management of AST... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Atypical Spitz tumor (AST) is an intermediate category among Spitz melanocytic neoplasms. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed in the clinical management of AST patients, but this approach remains the subject of debate. This systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence on SNB procedures in AST patients.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted, including MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS, through April 2023. Case series, cohort studies, and case-control studies of AST patients were eligible for inclusion. PRISMA guidelines were followed.
RESULTS
Twenty-two studies with a total of 756 AST patients were included. The pooled SNB prevalence was 54% (95% CI 32 to 75%), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 90%). The pooled SNB+ prevalence was 35% (95% CI 25 to 46%) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 39%). Lymphadenectomy was performed in 0-100% of SNB+ patients. Overall survival rates ranged from 93% to 100%, and disease-free survival ranged from 87% to 100% in AST patients. Overall and disease-free survival rates were 100% in SNB patients. Pooled survival estimates were not calculated due to the heterogeneous timing of the survival assessment and/or the small size of the subgroups. All studies clearly reported inclusion criteria and measured the condition in a standard way for all participants, but only 50% indicated valid methods for the identification of the condition.
CONCLUSIONS
The oncologic behavior of AST is related to an almost always favorable outcome. SNB does not seem to be relevant as a staging or prognostic procedure, and its indication remains debatable and controversial.
PubMed: 38892943
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113232 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Porocarcinoma (PC) is a rare adnexal tumor, mainly found in the elderly. The tumor arises from the acrosyringium of eccrine sweat glands. The risk of lymph node and... (Review)
Review
Porocarcinoma (PC) is a rare adnexal tumor, mainly found in the elderly. The tumor arises from the acrosyringium of eccrine sweat glands. The risk of lymph node and distant metastasis is high. Differential diagnosis with squamous cell carcinoma is difficult, although NUT expression and YAP1 fusion products can be very useful for diagnosis. Currently, wide local excision is the main surgical treatment, although Mohs micrographic surgery is promising. To date, there is no consensus regarding the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy and consequential lymph node dissection. No guidelines exist for radiotherapy, which is mostly performed based on tumor characteristics and excision margins. Only a few studies report systemic treatment for advanced PC, although therapy with pembrolizumab and EGFR inhibitors show promise. In this review, we discuss epidemiology, clinical features, histopathological features, immunohistochemistry and fusion products, surgical management and survival outcomes according to stage, surgical management, radiotherapy and systemic therapy.
Topics: Humans; Eccrine Porocarcinoma; Immunohistochemistry; Sweat Gland Neoplasms; Biomarkers, Tumor; YAP-Signaling Proteins
PubMed: 38891945
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115760 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Immunotherapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, are increasingly recognized for their potential. Despite notable successes, patient... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in peripheral blood as predictive biomarkers in patients with solid tumors undergoing immune checkpoint therapy: systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Immunotherapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, are increasingly recognized for their potential. Despite notable successes, patient responses to these treatments vary significantly. The absence of reliable predictive and prognostic biomarkers hampers the ability to foresee outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the predictive significance of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in patients with solid tumors undergoing ICI therapy, focusing on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed and EMBASE from January 2007 to November 2023, utilizing keywords related to MDSC and ICI. We extracted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) directly from the publications or calculated them based on the reported data. A hazard ratio greater than 1 indicated a beneficial effect of low MDSC levels. We assessed heterogeneity and effect size through subgroup analyses.
RESULTS
Our search yielded 4,023 articles, of which 17 studies involving 1,035 patients were included. The analysis revealed that patients with lower levels of circulating MDSC experienced significantly improved OS (HR=2.13 [95% CI 1.51-2.99]) and PFS (HR=1.87 [95% CI 1.29-2.72]) in response to ICI therapy. Notably, heterogeneity across these outcomes was primarily attributed to differences in polymorphonuclear MDSC (PMN-MDSC) subpopulations and varying cutoff methodologies used in the studies. The monocytic MDSC (M-MDSC) subpopulation emerged as a consistent and significant prognostic marker across various subgroup analyses, including ethnicity, tumor type, ICI target, sample size, and cutoff methodology.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that standardized assessment of MDSC, particularly M-MDSC, should be integral to ICI therapy strategies. These cells hold the promise of identifying patients at risk of poor response to ICI therapy, enabling tailored treatment approaches. Further research focusing on the standardization of markers and validation of cutoff methods is crucial for integrating MDSC into clinical practice.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023420095, identifier CRD42023420095.
Topics: Humans; Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells; Neoplasms; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Biomarkers, Tumor; Prognosis
PubMed: 38855104
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1403771 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024The emergence of immunotherapy has changed the treatment modality for melanoma and prolonged the survival of many patients. However, a handful of patients remain... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The emergence of immunotherapy has changed the treatment modality for melanoma and prolonged the survival of many patients. However, a handful of patients remain unresponsive to immunotherapy and effective tools for early identification of this patient population are still lacking. Researchers have developed machine learning algorithms for predicting immunotherapy response in melanoma, but their predictive accuracy has been inconsistent. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to comprehensively evaluate the predictive accuracy of machine learning in melanoma response to immunotherapy.
METHODS
Relevant studies were searched in PubMed, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Library, and Embase from their inception to July 30, 2022. The risk of bias and applicability of the included studies were assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Meta-analysis was performed on R4.2.0.
RESULTS
A total of 36 studies consisting of 30 cohort studies and 6 case-control studies were included. These studies were mainly published between 2019 and 2022 and encompassed 75 models. The outcome measures of this study were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment response. The pooled c-index was 0.728 (95%CI: 0.629-0.828) for PFS in the training set, 0.760 (95%CI: 0.728-0.792) and 0.819 (95%CI: 0.757-0.880) for treatment response in the training and validation sets, respectively, and 0.746 (95%CI: 0.721-0.771) and 0.700 (95%CI: 0.677-0.724) for OS in the training and validation sets, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Machine learning has considerable predictive accuracy in melanoma immunotherapy response and prognosis, especially in the former. However, due to the lack of external validation and the scarcity of certain types of models, further studies are warranted.
Topics: Melanoma; Humans; Machine Learning; Immunotherapy; Prognosis; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38835779
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1281940 -
BMC Women's Health May 2024To demonstrate and analyze the F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings in this rare nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS).
BACKGROUND
To demonstrate and analyze the F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings in this rare nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS).
CASE PRESENTATION
A 71-year-old woman with the left invasive breast cancer was treated with hormone therapy for six months and underwent the F-FDG PET/CT examination for efficacy evaluation. F-FDG PET/CT revealed the improvement after treatment and other unexpected findings, including multiple nodules on the skin with F-FDG uptake, bone expansion of cystic lesions in the bilateral ribs, ectopic calcifications and dilated right ureter. She had no known family history. Then, the patient underwent surgical excision of the all skin nodules and the postoperative pathology were multiple basal cell carcinomas. Finally, the comprehensive diagnosis of NBCCS was made. The patient was still in follow-up. Additionally, we have summarized the reported cases (n = 3) with F-FDG PET/CT from the literature.
CONCLUSIONS
It is important to recognize this syndrome on F-FDG PET/CT because of different diagnoses and therapeutic consequences.
Topics: Humans; Female; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Aged; Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome; Breast Neoplasms; Skin Neoplasms; Radiopharmaceuticals
PubMed: 38802808
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03145-5 -
Genes May 2024This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to verify the association between the genetic variants of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette subfamily B member... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to verify the association between the genetic variants of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 () and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 () genes and the presence and severity of gefitinib-associated adverse reactions. We systematically searched PubMed, Virtual Health Library/Bireme, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published up to February 2024. In total, five studies were included in the review. Additionally, eight genetic variants related to (rs1045642, rs1128503, rs2032582, and rs1025836) and (rs2231142, rs2231137, rs2622604, and 15622C>T) genes were analyzed. Meta-analysis showed a significant association between the gene rs1045642 TT genotype and presence of diarrhea (OR = 5.41, 95% CI: 1.38-21.14, I = 0%), the gene rs1128503 TT genotype and CT + TT group and the presence of skin rash (OR = 4.37, 95% CI: 1.51-12.61, I = 0% and OR = 6.99, 95%CI: 1.61-30.30, I= 0%, respectively), and the gene rs2231142 CC genotype and presence of diarrhea (OR = 3.87, 95% CI: 1.53-9.84, I = 39%). No or genes were positively associated with the severity of adverse reactions associated with gefitinib. In conclusion, this study showed that and variants are likely to exhibit clinical implications in predicting the presence of adverse reactions to gefitinib.
Topics: ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; Humans; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; Gefitinib; Neoplasm Proteins; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Genotype
PubMed: 38790220
DOI: 10.3390/genes15050591 -
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases May 2024Invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) are a leading cause of death in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a rare blistering genodermatosis.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) are a leading cause of death in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a rare blistering genodermatosis. Outcomes of RDEB-cSCC therapies have primarily been described in case reports. Systematic studies are scarce. This systematic review aims to assess the pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of RDEB-cSCCs, with a focus on results and mechanisms of recent immunotherapies and anti-EGFR treatments.
RESULTS
A systematic literature search of epidermolysis bullosa and cSCC was performed in February 2024, using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EudraCT databases. Cases with administration of systematic therapies and unpublished outcomes regarding death were tracked with corresponding authors. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment was performed by two independent reviewers. Of 1132 references in the original search, 163 relevant articles were identified, representing 59 case reports, 7 cohort studies, 49 abstracts, 47 in-vitro/in-vivo experiments, and 1 bioinformatic study. From these, 157 cases of RDEB-cSCCs were included. The majority of RDEB-cSCCs were well-differentiated (64.1%), ulcerated (59.6%), and at least 2 cm in size (77.6%), with a median age at diagnosis of 30 years old (range 6-68.4). Surgery was the primary form of treatment (n = 128), followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Anti-EGFR therapy and immunotherapy was also reported beginning in 2009 and 2019, respectively. Survival time from first cSCC diagnosis to death was available in 50 cases. When stratified by their treatment regimen, median survival time was 1.85 years (surgery + chemotherapy, n = 6), 2 years (surgery only, n = 19), 4.0 years (+ anti-EFGR therapy, n = 10), 4 years (surgery + radiotherapy, n = 9), 4.6 years (+ immunotherapy, n = 4), and 9.5 years (surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy; n = 2). Treatment-related adverse events were primarily limited to impaired wound healing for immunotherapies and nausea and fatigue for anti-EGFR therapies.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the challenges of a limited sample size in a rare disease, this systematic review provides an overview of treatment options for cSCCs in RDEB. When surgical treatment options have been exhausted, the addition of immunotherapy and/or anti-EGFR therapies may extend patient survival. However, it is difficult to attribute extended survival to any single treatment, as multiple therapeutic modalities are often used to treat RDEB-cSCCs.
Topics: Humans; Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica; Skin Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Immunotherapy
PubMed: 38769503
DOI: 10.1186/s13023-024-03190-1 -
La Medicina Del Lavoro Apr 2024Our objective was to study the association between occupational exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and skin cancer. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Our objective was to study the association between occupational exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and skin cancer.
METHODS
A systematic review following STROBE guidelines and PECOS criteria was conducted to identify cohort studies describing the association between occupational DE exposure and the risk of skin cancer. We extracted 12 independent risk estimates for melanoma skin cancer (MSC), 8 for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), and 3 for skin cancer not otherwise specified (SC-NOS). Random effects meta-analyses were performed, site-specific and stratified by geographic region and quality score. 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Between-study heterogeneity and potential publication bias were investigated.
RESULTS
There was no overall evidence of an increased risk of MSC [RR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.73-1.11; I2=92.86%, 95% CI: 82.83-97.03%], NMSC [RR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.88-1.23; I2=60.79%, 95% CI: 0-87.34%] or SC-NOS [RR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.97; I2=26.60%, 95% CI: 0-94.87%] in workers exposed to DE. No difference between low-quality and high-quality studies was found. A stratified analysis by geographical region did not reveal any significant differences. There was no evidence of publication bias.
CONCLUSIONS
No evidence of an association between skin cancer and occupational DE exposure was found. Residual confounding and other sources of bias cannot be ruled out.
Topics: Humans; Vehicle Emissions; Skin Neoplasms; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Diseases; Cohort Studies; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 38686576
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v115i2.15569 -
Surgical Oncology Jun 2024Appropriate surveillance of patients with melanoma treated with curative intent is vital to improve patient outcomes. A systematic review was conducted to capture... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Appropriate surveillance of patients with melanoma treated with curative intent is vital to improve patient outcomes. A systematic review was conducted to capture locoregional recurrence and metastatic disease, and to evaluate the effectiveness of various surveillance strategies.
METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Database were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative studies reporting at least one patient-related outcome were included. Exclusion criteria included: published in non-English or recruited >20 % or an uncertain percentage of non-target patients without conducting a subgroup analysis for the target patients. This review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42021246482).
RESULTS
Among 17,978 publications from the literature search, one RCT and five non-randomized comparative studies were included and comprised 4016 patients. The aggregate evidence certainty was low for the RCT and very low for the comparative studies, as assessed by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. For patients with stage IA-IIC melanoma, a reduced follow-up schedule with clinical follow-up strategies alone may be safe and cost-effective. For stage IIC-IIIC patients, at least two serial PET/CT or whole-body CT and brain MRI imaging within a median follow-up of 31.2 months may detect 50 % of recurrences that lead to additional management, such as surgery. PET/CT may have a higher positive predictive value and lower false positive rate compared with CT alone in detecting recurrence in stage I-III patients.
CONCLUSION
Surveillance protocols should be based on individual risk of recurrence and established best practices when formulating follow-up strategies, as suggested by the studies reviewed. Future high-quality studies are needed to clarify the frequency of imaging follow-up strategies, especially in patients with high-risk stage II melanoma.
Topics: Humans; Melanoma; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Skin Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38657486
DOI: 10.1016/j.suronc.2024.102077 -
World Journal of Surgical Oncology Apr 2024The anatomic variants of the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) represent a potential risk of injuries during surgical procedure such as axillary lymph node dissection and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The anatomic variants of the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) represent a potential risk of injuries during surgical procedure such as axillary lymph node dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer and melanoma patients. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the different origins and branching patterns of the intercostobrachial nerve also providing an analysis of the prevalence, through the analysis of the literature available up to September 2023.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The protocol for this study was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023447932), an international prospective database for reviews. The PRISMA guideline was respected throughout the meta-analysis. A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. A search was performed in grey literature through google.
RESULTS
We included a total of 23 articles (1,883 patients). The prevalence of the ICBN in the axillae was 98.94%. No significant differences in prevalence were observed during the analysis of geographic subgroups or by study type (cadaveric dissections and in intraoperative dissections). Only five studies of the 23 studies reported prevalence of less than 100%. Overall, the PPE was 99.2% with 95% Cis of 98.5% and 99.7%. As expected from the near constant variance estimates, the heterogeneity was low, I = 44.3% (95% CI 8.9%-65.9%), Q = 39.48, p = .012. When disaggregated by evaluation type, the difference in PPEs between evaluation types was negligible. For cadaveric dissection, the PPE was 99.7% (95% CI 99.1%-100.0%) compared to 99.0% (95% CI 98.1%-99.7%).
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of ICBN variants was very high. The dissection of the ICBN during axillary lymph-node harvesting, increases the risk of sensory disturbance. The preservation of the ICBN does not modify the oncological radicality in axillary dissection for patients with cutaneous metastatic melanoma or breast cancer. Therefore, we recommend to operate on these patients in high volume center to reduce post-procedural pain and paresthesia associated with a lack of ICBN variants recognition.
Topics: Humans; Female; Melanoma; Intercostal Nerves; Lymph Node Excision; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Breast Neoplasms; Axilla; Cadaver
PubMed: 38605346
DOI: 10.1186/s12957-024-03374-w