PLoS medicine
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Comparative Study
Improving melanoma classification by integrating genetic and morphologic features.
In melanoma, morphology-based classification systems have not been able to provide relevant information for selecting treatments for patients whose tumors have metastasized. The recent identification of causative genetic alterations has revealed mutations in signaling pathways that offer targets for therapy. Identifying morphologic surrogates that can identify patients whose tumors express such alterations (or functionally equivalent alterations) would be clinically useful for therapy stratification and for retrospective analysis of clinical trial data. ⋯ Refined morphological classification of primary melanomas can be used to improve existing melanoma classifications by forming subgroups that are genetically more homogeneous and likely to differ in important clinical variables such as outcome and pattern of metastasis. We expect this information to improve classification and facilitate stratification for therapy as well as retrospective analysis of existing trial data.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The safety of adult male circumcision in HIV-infected and uninfected men in Rakai, Uganda.
The objective of the study was to compare rates of adverse events (AEs) related to male circumcision (MC) in HIV-positive and HIV-negative men in order to provide guidance for MC programs that may provide services to HIV-infected and uninfected men. ⋯ Overall, the safety of MC was comparable in asymptomatic HIV-positive and HIV-negative men, although healing was somewhat slower among the HIV infected. All men should be strongly counseled to refrain from intercourse until full wound healing is achieved.