J Drugs Dermatol
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To stratify MI risk reduction in those treated with a TNF inhibitor for psoriasis only, psoriatic arthritis only, or both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. ⋯ In the TNF inhibitor cohort, those with psoriasis only have the strongest association with MI risk reduction, followed by those with psoriatic arthritis only, and then followed by those with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
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Review Comparative Study
Systematic review of vismodegib toxicity profile in the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinomas compared to other systemic therapies in dermatology.
Vismodegib is a first-in-class, hedgehog-signal inhibitor that is FDA-approved for use with advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) that cannot be removed by either surgical resection or treated with radiation. Release of the drug was fast-tracked because of need for this type of drug, and its overall efficacy in clinical trial by producing either regression or even resolution of advanced BCCs. ⋯ In this article, we tackle this dilemma by comparing the toxicity profile of vismodegib to the adverse effect profiles of other dermatologic chemotherapeutics, immunomodulators, retinoids, and biologics. Considering that many of these drugs carry their own risks and those drugs used to treat advanced melanoma have similar toxicity profiles to that of vismodegib, we hope dermatologists and patients alike will be more willing to try vismodegib as a treatment option for advanced BCCs in the future.
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Accurate histopathologic staging of preoperative biopsy specimens is critical for determining optimal surgical management for patients with primary cutaneous melanoma. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) currently list narrow excisional biopsy (fusiform excision) as the preferred technique for biopsying lesions suspicious for melanoma. However, preoperative shave biopsies are routinely performed on lesions concerning for melanoma in many medical centers out of convenience. ⋯ Based on the results from the current study and available literature, the authors posit that preoperative deep excisional shave biopsies performed by dermatologists are accurate for determining Breslow depth and for planning surgical management of melanomas.