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Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Prognostic factors for melanoma include Breslow depth (BD), ulceration, and dermal mitotic rate (DMR). No studies have queried the effect of epidermal mitotic density (EMD) or atypical mitotic figure density (AMD) in an outcome-based assessment. Our objective was to determine if there is a relationship between EMD, AMD, BD, DMR, and ulceration and patient outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study of 185 cases of thick and thin melanomas. Univariate and multivariate cause-specific regression analysis was performed. There was a positive correlation between EMD and BD ( P  = .0001). The difference between AMD in thick and thin melanomas was statistically significant. For every unit increase in EMD, patients had a 2.8-fold increase in the risk of distant metastasis; however, statistical significance was lost in the multivariate analysis. In adjusted analyses, ulceration, DMR, and BD were associated with outcomes. There were no statistically significant correlations between AMD and outcomes. This study is limited by its small sample size, diminution of the epidermis in some thick melanomas preventing EMD estimates, and reproducibility of mitotic figure counting. EMD and AMD do not seem to have any independent value in multivariate analyses for melanoma. Ulceration, BD, and DMR were significantly associated with outcomes and further solidify these known predictors of prognosis.

Primary central nervous system melanoma is rare and characterized by a variable prognosis, and no current treatment guidelines exist. We describe the clinical course of a 70-year-old female patient diagnosed with primary leptomeningeal melanoma (LMN) whose case represents the diagnostic and management challenges of this tumor. Targeted genomic sequencing of 315 genes from this tumor revealed GNAQ Q209L mutation and low (4 mutations/Megabase) tumor mutation burden (TMB). Wild-type NRAS, KIT, and BRAF were also observed. A cohort of 4,787 melanomas was subsequently analyzed to identify additional primary central nervous system melanomas, of which 10 additional tumors met pathologic criteria (0.21% of total melanoma cohort). These tumors were genomically assessed according to the same targeted sequencing panel, and 6 of the tumors were also found to harbor a GNAQ mutation. All 10 tumors had low (less than or equal to 2 mutations/Megabase) TMB indicating a potential trend between G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) alterations and low TMB in LMNs. GPCR alterations were found to significantly correlate with TMB across the cohort of 4,787 melanomas, supporting this potential finding in the limited LMN subset., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

New American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition staging parameters have removed mitotic rate as a stage T1 category criterion, but it remains embedded in the synopsis of primary cutaneous melanoma (CM). A paucity of data is available, characterizing atypical mitotic forms in CM. In this study, we classify the various morphologic forms of atypical mitoses, characterize mitotic figure density, and examine the correlation between atypical mitotic figures and Breslow depth. We performed a retrospective study of 185 thick (>0.8 mm) and thin (<0.8 mm) CM specimens. Metaphase mitotic figures represented the highest percentage of total mitotic figures in cases of thick melanoma (40%) and were the second most common in thin melanoma (18%). The average Breslow depth for melanoma harboring starburst mitoses was 2.85 mm, compared with the average Breslow depth of all thick melanoma cases, 1.88 mm. The average thickness of melanoma cases containing tripolar mitoses was 2.28 mm. Breslow depth correlated with the number of atypical mitotic figures in both thick and thin melanomas (the Pearson correlation test, r = +0.18, P < 0.01). Metaphase and prophase mitoses are a common finding in both thick and thin melanomas. Although atypical mitoses were indiscriminate, starburst and tripolar (ie, multipolar) mitoses were only inherent to cases of thick melanoma (stage T3). In sum, our study reveals a parallel relationship between the density of atypical mitotic figures and Breslow depth.

Scabies surrepticius is a unifying term that represents non-classical presentations of scabies mite infestation. A patient with scabies surrepticius is described: a man with scabies masquerading as prurigo nodularis. The 91-year-old man had metastatic prostate cancer and presented with diffuse pruritic nodules. Prurigo nodularis was suspected; however, the biopsy revealed scabies mites in the stratum corneum. He was successfully treated with topical permethrin 5% cream and oral ivermectin. In addition, the features of a woman with scabies mimicking systemic lupus erythematosus are summarized. The 47-year-old woman had idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and presented with malar erythema and a positive antinuclear antibody (titer 1:320). A diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematous was entertained until skin scraping and mineral oil preparation revealed scabies mites; she was successfully treated with oral ivermectin. In conclusion, Sarcoptes scabiei infestation can present with atypical clinical morphology and an absence of classical lesions such as burrows conventionally distributed in the interdigital web spaces, volar wrists, periumbilical area, or genitalia. Scabies surrepticius is a term that has been designated to describe these unusual presentations. Prurigo nodularis and systemic lupus erythematosus can be added to the litany of conditions masquerading as scabies and are included amongst the guises of scabies surrepticius.

Background Acquired elastotic hemangioma is a benign vascular proliferation that typically presents as an asymptomatic red plaque on a sun-exposed site of an adult. Material and Methods The PubMed database was used to search the following words: acquired, angioma, arm, basal, carcinoma, cell, elastosis, elastotic, exposed, forearm, hemangioma, solar, sun, and vascular. The relevant papers and reference cited generated by the search were reviewed. The features from a case series of 11 patients with acquired elastotic hemangioma are presented. In addition, a comprehensive review of the characteristics of this unique hemangioma-not only in our 11 patients but also in the previously reported 34 individuals with this lesion-is provided. Results Acquired elastotic hemangioma, reported in 45 patients (24 women and 21 men), typically appeared as an asymptomatic solitary red plaque in sun-exposed areas-most commonly the forearm--of adults aged 50 years or older. The pathology shows a proliferation of vascular channels-surrounded and intertwined by intense solar elastosis--in the upper dermis, located parallel to the overlying epidermis, and separated from it by a zone of normal-appearing superficial papillary dermis. There was extensive solar elastosis surrounding and between the new blood vessels; some of the endothelial cells protrude (in a hob-nail pattern) into the vessel lumen. The clinical differential diagnosis includes basal cell carcinoma and the pathologic differential diagnosis includes other benign, malignant, and reactive vascular lesions. Ultraviolet radiation may contribute to the pathogenesis of this hemangioma since it occurs on sun-exposed sites. There was no recurrence of the lesion following either excision or observation. Conclusions The possibility of acquired elastotic hemangioma should be considered by clinicians when they encounter an older individual with a new red plaque on a sun-exposed site that clinically appears to be a superficial basal cell carcinoma., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Neutrophilic urticarial dermatosis (NUD) is a useful diagnostic term for urticarial lesions that are less pruritic and more painful than conventional urticaria. The histopathologic features include neutrophilic infiltrates in the interstitial dermis with a higher density than idiopathic urticaria. NUD has been associated with several systemic conditions, which are predominantly autoimmune and autoinflammatory in nature. A woman with Crohn disease who developed NUD is described. Literature reports of other conditions in which neutrophilic urticarial dermatosis have been observed are also reviewed and summarized. NUD has not only been described in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease, but also in patients who have systemic lupus erythematosus, adult-onset Still disease, and IgA gammopathy. NUD is usually associated with an underlying disease. Therapeutic agents that target neutrophils (such as dapsone and colchicine) and antagonists to interleukin-1 receptor (such as anakinra) may be effective modalities for affected patients. NUD can be added to the list of dermatologic manifestations associated with systemic inflammation, particularly inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by self-limited, nonspecific inflammation and fibrosis of the mesenteric adipose tissue. Histologic classification characterizes 3 main stages in the evolution of the fibroinflammatory process: mesenteric lipodystrophy (ML), mesenteric panniculitis (MP), and sclerosing (retractile) mesenteritis (SM)., Observations: A 68-year-old woman with biopsy-proven MP presented with multiple asymptomatic, indurated subcutaneous nodules on both arms, as well as 2 indurated plaques on her abdomen. The cutaneous changes preceded the diagnosis of SM by roughly 3 years. The arm lesions were centrally depressed with a prominent groove and a peau d'orange appearance. Biopsy findings revealed a subcutaneous process with almost total replacement of adipocytes by zones of woody sclerosis and fat necrosis identical to that observed in the mesentery. To our knowledge, this manifestation of sclerosing mesenteritis has not been reported previously., Conclusions: Sclerosing mesenteritis has rarely been associated with extra-abdominal idiopathic fibrosclerotic disorders, but a cutaneous component of SM has never been characterized. The fact that the cutaneous lesions were histopathologically identical to the mesenteric changes and their presence prior to the recognition of intra-abdominal disease suggests that future patients with such lesions might be evaluated for this disorder leading to earlier recognition.