Kappa Opioid ReceptorInduced Aversion Needs p38 MAPK Activation within VTA Dopamine Neurons

Cutaneous metastases from parotid tumors are uncommon and imply a poor prognosis. In this article, we report 2 new cutaneous metastasis cases from 2 different parotid malignancies and 42 additional cases from a literature review. Clinical manifestations, localization, and outcomes of skin metastasis from parotid tumors are described. Although infrequent, parotid neoplasms may develop skin metastasis many years after the initial diagnosis, mostly in the head and neck region. Therefore, long-term follow-up and periodic skin examination of these patients is mandatory. Dermatologists and surgeons must have a high index of suspicion when evaluating any skin lesion arising on these patients because cutaneous metastasis from parotid neoplasms generally implies a poor prognosis.
Cutaneous metastases from parotid tumors are uncommon and imply a poor prognosis. In this article, we report 2 new cutaneous metastasis cases from 2 different parotid malignancies and 42 additional cases from a literature review. Clinical manifestations, localization, and outcomes of skin metastasis from parotid tumors are described. Although infrequent, parotid neoplasms may develop skin metastasis many years after the initial diagnosis, mostly in the head and neck region. Therefore, long-term follow-up and periodic skin examination of these patients is mandatory. Dermatologists and surgeons must have a high index of suspicion when evaluating any skin lesion arising on these patients because cutaneous metastasis from parotid neoplasms generally implies a poor prognosis.
The prognostic implications of the immunophenotype of the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in primary cutaneous melanoma are well known. In recent years, the study of this immunophenotype has also resulted in immunotherapeutic consequences. The aims of this study were to characterize the subpopulations of TILs in primary cutaneous melanoma, in cases with and without metastasis, as well as the neovascularization associated with the primary neoplasm, and its influence on the development of metastasis. To this end, the immunophenotype of TILs and the neovascularization of 80 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma (40 each with metastatic and non-metastatic melanoma) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for CD3, CD4, CD8, FOXP3, PD-1, CD31, and D2-40 antibodies. We found that higher frequencies of TILs with brisk pattern, and CD4+, CD8+, and CD20+ cells in TILs, and a lower frequency of CD31+ vessels were histopathological features associated with better prognosis in primary cutaneous melanoma. Our resuILs with brisk pattern, and CD4+, CD8+, and CD20+ cells in TILs, and a lower frequency of CD31+ vessels were histopathological features associated with better prognosis in primary cutaneous melanoma. Our results support the notion that the immunohistochemical study of TILs and neovascularization in primary cutaneous melanoma may be helpful tools for identifying patients at increased risk of metastasis development.
The foreign body reaction (FBR) is a well-documented immune reaction. Much of the literature on FBRs has focused on minimizing this immune response to mitigate the impact on medical implants. Canagliflozin Here, we present a case that illustrates a serendipitous oncologic outcome from an FBR. A 54-year-old man presented with an aggressive basal cell carcinoma (BCC). At the first resection, he had broadly positive surgical margins. The surgical wound was temporized with a polyurethane wound vacuum assisted closure (VAC) device. He was lost to follow-up having retained a VAC sponge for a total of 12 weeks. A wide re-resection was performed 7 months after the initial resection. Exhaustive examination of the resected specimen was performed. There was an absence of any BCC, replaced by a widespread chronic FBR to polyurethane VAC sponge particles. This suggests that the foreign body immune response was sufficiently intense to eradicate any remaining BCC. This case illustrates the concept of an FBR as a novel method of local id of local immunotherapy.
Wide local excision (WLE) using appropriate surgical margins is the standard surgical management for malignant melanoma in situ (MMIS) and primary cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM). The actual width of the histologic margins is frequently not assessed, whereas narrow histologic margins are associated with an increase in local melanoma recurrence. Our objective was to analyze the actual measured histological margins of WLE specimens of MMIS and MM cases and compare them with their recommended surgical margins. A retrospective study of formalin fixed specimens of MMIS and invasive MM treated with WLE from a large university-affiliated dermatopathology laboratory was conducted. Among a total of 164 MMIS and 128 MM cases, 14 MMIS (8.5%) and 7 MM (5.9%) had positive lateral margins. The median histologic margin for MMIS, after a 15% tissue shrinkage adjusted, was 2.7 mm [1.3-3.9] for LM type and 3.9 mm [2.3-5.6] for non-LM type, in contrast to the recommended 5-mm margin. In 96 MM of T1 type (≤1.0 mm), the mediand invasive MM treated with WLE from a large university-affiliated dermatopathology laboratory was conducted. Among a total of 164 MMIS and 128 MM cases, 14 MMIS (8.5%) and 7 MM (5.9%) had positive lateral margins. The median histologic margin for MMIS, after a 15% tissue shrinkage adjusted, was 2.7 mm [1.3-3.9] for LM type and 3.9 mm [2.3-5.6] for non-LM type, in contrast to the recommended 5-mm margin. In 96 MM of T1 type (≤1.0 mm), the median adjusted histologic margin was 6.7 mm [3.5-9.1] in contrast to the recommended 10-mm margin. These results show that measured and adjusted median histologic margins in WLE specimens in both MMIS and MM of T1 type were significantly narrower than the recommended surgical margins, regardless of anatomic location. These differences are concerning, whether they reflect clinicians' intentional or unintentional deviation from recommended guidelines.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most commonly diagnosed cutaneous cancer in the United States with more than 2.5 million treated annually. Genetic studies have revealed that approximately 90% of BCCs have a mutation in the hedgehog-signaling pathway. Patients with BCC usually have an excellent prognosis with surgical modalities, however, patients with locally advanced BCC may potentially experience significant cosmetic or functional impairment, with only surgical intervention. Vismodegib is a hedgehog pathway inhibitor that has been successful in treating patients with locally advanced BCC. We report a patient with BCC with a good response to vismodegib and a novel xanthomatous change in the excision specimen.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most commonly diagnosed cutaneous cancer in the United States with more than 2.5 million treated annually. Genetic studies have revealed that approximately 90% of BCCs have a mutation in the hedgehog-signaling pathway. Patients with BCC usually have an excellent prognosis with surgical modalities, however, patients with locally advanced BCC may potentially experience significant cosmetic or functional impairment, with only surgical intervention.