Search

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. BACKGROUND: Tissue preservation and tumor clearance are hallmarks of Mohs micrographic surgery, but no standardized method currently exists to guide trainees on how to balance the two. OBJECTIVE: The authors provided residents and fellows with additional histologic information to enhance their surgical decision-making without changing the standard methodology of Mohs surgery. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Trainees were provided initial biopsy slides (IS) and frozen vertical sections (VS) of the first Mohs layer. All Mohs layers were excised in standard fashion, and vertically oriented sections were taken from the layer without disturbing the surgical margins to obtain VS. Surveys were used to assess trainees' confidence in performing Mohs surgery with and without these tools. RESULTS: Trainees reported increased confidence in performing Mohs surgery when they reviewed IS before surgery and viewed VS of the first layer. CONCLUSION: Reviewing IS and VS improved trainees' confidence in performing Mohs surgery. This additional histological information was obtained while maintaining the usual steps of Mohs surgery. Objective information obtained from IS and VS may explain why trainees' confidence increased using this technique. Both IS and VS can be valuable teaching tools that may enhance trainees' ability to perform Mohs surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A recent study found that the incidence of melanoma and melanoma-related mortality was decreasing in residents of the New England region. However, it is unknown whether this trend is conserved in Veterans of New England who constitute more than 14% of the national Veteran population. Given this, our goal was to analyze the incidence of melanoma in patients of Veteran Integrated Service Network-1 (VISN-1) (geographically consisting of VA health care facilities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and to calculate an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of melanoma in VISN-1 compared to the general population. Additional goals were to ascertain the risk/susceptibility of this patient population with a view to improve quality of care and outcomes.Materials and Methods: Data for 523 cases of melanoma [2000-2011] were obtained from the regional branch of the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) within the geographic area comprising VISN-1. A detailed retrospective chart review was conducted on these cases to gather demographic, risk factor, and clinical practice data. Demographic and incidence data from VISN-1 were compared to the general population via data from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER) from the same time period. Person-years (PY) were calculated for both populations to measure IRRs which was further standardized for age and gender.Results: VISN-1 patients were predominantly older (94.26% >50 years), Caucasian (99.43%) males (96.75%). Compared to the general population, VISN-1 patients experienced more invasive lesions defined as stage T1 or greater (4.33% vs. 57.12%, p < 0.001), but reduced melanoma-associated mortality (40.96% vs. 19.05%, p < 0.001) although all-cause mortality was approximately doubled (52.20% vs. 26.14%, p < 0.001). Metastatic disease-rates were similar in both [approximately 4% in both]. IRR of melanoma in VISN-1 patients was 0.36 (95% CI: 0.20-0.67; p = 0.0063) which persisted in all age groups/genders. 60.92% of VISN-1 patients had recreational sun-exposure history and 72.41% of tobacco use. 95.02% of melanomas were located in continuously/intermittently sun-exposed areas, 93.28% were surgically-treated with a median treatment delay of 31 days [range 18-48]. Median lost to follow-up was 0 day [range 0-681 days].Conclusions: Compared to the general population, melanoma incidence was lower in the VISN-1 cohort, possibly due to decreased UV index in the New England region, protective effects of past tobacco use, improved access to care through the VA and regional public health educational efforts. Yet melanomas were more often invasive in the VISN-1 cohort due to advanced age and male sex both of which are associated with more advanced disease at diagnosis. A strength of this study is the calculation of IRR using PY as this method enhances accuracy of incidence calculations. The data were limited by the fact that the population was from one geographic region and consisted mainly of elderly Caucasian males. Descriptive variable data such as sun-protective habits and risk factors from military service are limited by potential recall bias given the retrospective study design. Further study is necessary to replicate these results and to compare our data to Veteran populations from different geographic regions within the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous small vessel vasculitis (CSVV) or leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a group of immune complex mediated vasculitides that affect dermal capillaries or post-capillary venules and classically presents as lower extremity palpable purpura. CSVV can be subdivided by antibody type and clinical features. In patients presenting with signs of LCV and ANCA positivity, clinicopathologic correlation is important in characterizing the type of vasculitis. We report an uncommon case of IgA vasculitis with concurrent ANCA-positivity attributed to bacterial endocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite public education efforts, many people at risk for skin cancer do not practice safe sun behaviors.

Objective: To determine whether machine-based evaluation of UV-induced alterations (VISIA scan) changes self-assessment of facial photoaging, skin cancer risk, and willingness to improve sun protective habits. In addition, to determine whether VISIA scan analysis reveals differences between those with versus without a history of skin cancer, men versus women, those older than 50 versus less than 50 years of age, and Fitzpatrick skin types I-III versus IV-VI.

Methods: Volunteers attending a health expo were recruited and queried about their perceived risk of skin cancer and degree of skin photoaging. All participants underwent facial skin quality analysis of both sides of the face, and then completed a follow-up survey.

Results: Participants' scored self-perceptions of overall skin aging were all statistically significantly worse after VISIA scan analysis. There was no change in perceived skin cancer risk, but most participants expressed intent to improve their sun protection habits.

Limitations: Limitations to this study include selection bias, recall-misclassification bias, and social desirability bias.

Conclusion: Intervention with facial skin analysis can positively affect subjects' stated intent to use sun protection, indicating the importance of appearance in these health decisions.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):453-459.