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Background Basal cell carcinoma ( BCC) is by far the most common cancer in white populations. In addition, recent reports have demonstrated an increasing incidence of BCC in Korea. We have observed a significant number of early-onset BCC cases in which the disease occurred in patients younger than 50 years. Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of early-onset BCC in an Asian population, specifically in Koreans. Methods One hundred and five patients with early-onset BCC were enrolled from a total of 1047 BCC patients who underwent surgery between January 1997 and December 2014 (942 patients over the age of 50 years were designated as the control group). Results Early-onset BCC accounted for 10.03% of all 1047 cases and the incidence over time displayed an incremental trend. The early-onset group displayed similar results as the control group, with a predominance of female BCC patients and the majority of tumours displaying the following characteristics: small in size, occurring in sun-exposed areas and belonging to the noduloulcerative clinical subtype and nodular histopathological subtype. In comparison with a previous study in a Western population, the incidence of the disease in non-exposed areas of the body, as well as the proportion of tumours of the superficial histological subtype, were lower in Asian patients. Conclusion Although the clinicopathological characteristics of BCC are well-known, these characteristics have not been determined for early-onset BCC in an Asian population. Therefore, this study is the first report on early-onset BCC in Asians, specifically in a Korean patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Giant congenital melanocytic naevi (GCMN) are known risk factors for the development of melanoma. However, melanoma risk among Asians is rarely evaluated. Objectives To evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk of melanoma development from GCMN in Koreans, we performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Korea. GCMN were defined as those comprising ≥ 5% body surface area in children or measuring ≥ 20 cm in adults. Methods In total, 131 patients with GCMN were enrolled, with a mean age of 10·3 years (range: birth-70 years). Results The posterior trunk was the most common site (67, 51·1%), followed by lateral trunk, anterior trunk, legs, both anterior and posterior trunk, buttocks, and arms. Satellite naevi were present in 69 cases (52·7%), and axial areas were more commonly involved in patients with satellite naevi than in those without satellite lesions. Atypical features such as rete ridge elongation and bridges were seen, and, among these, pagetoid spread and ballooning cell changes were more common in patients < 4 years old. Proliferative nodules were found in three cases. Melanomas had developed in three of 131 patients (2·3%; a 6-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and a 70-year-old man), and the incidence rate was 990 per 100 000 person-years. Melanomas in these three patients consisted of two cutaneous melanomas and one extracutaneous meningeal melanoma. Conclusions We should be aware of melanoma development from GCMN, and lifelong follow-up is required due to the risk of melanoma arising in GCMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor on an article "Epidermal barrier function changes after ablative and non-ablative fractional laser administration" published in the previous issue is presented.

Genetic defects of the zygote, such as chromosome aberrations, are the most frequent causes of abnormal embryonic development and spontaneous abortion. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Chromosome aberrations likely cause changes in placental morphology and function (such as size, shape, vascularity, and the presence of trophoblastic inclusion). We postulated that chromosome aberrations may affect rates of cell proliferation or programmed cell death (apoptosis) during the differentiation of chorionic villi. To address these questions, we evaluated cell proliferation using a monoclonal antibody to Ki-67 (a cell-cycle marker) and apoptosis using the in situ end-labeling method (TUNEL) on paraffin-embedded placental tissues. Tissues were obtained from spontaneous abortions in early gestational periods with normal (11 cases) and abnormal karyotypes (15 cases), as well as eight normal control placentas from elective abortions. Apoptotic cells were found in the stroma of all cases, but were significantly higher in number in the stroma of chromosomally abnormal versus chromosomally normal spontaneous abortions. The apoptotic index of the trophoblasts was not significantly different between groups. Cell proliferation was higher in muscularized blood vessels in chromosomally normal placentas (both elective and spontaneous abortions) versus chromosomally abnormal spontaneous abortions. Cell proliferation was different in the trophoblast and stroma between the groups but to a lesser degree than in blood vessels. The morphological and biological data presented here suggest that: (1) chromosomally abnormal spontaneous abortions may occur because of different mechanisms than chromosomally normal spontaneous abortions, (2) apoptosis of the stromal cells and cell proliferation in blood vessels and stroma play an important role in the differentiation and functioning of villi, and (3) these changes could explain the etiology of spontaneous abortion and growth retardation of chromosomally abnormal embryos. Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Occurrence of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus after treatment with fluorouracil and capecitabine," by W. Weger and colleagues in the 2008 issue.