Paraneoplastic Syndromes in Patients with Keratinocyte Skin Cancer

A variety of well-characterized cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are diagnosed during internal malignancies; however, the spectrum of keratinocyte skin neoplasms (KSC) related to PNS is still obscure. The aim of the present review is to compile and evaluate the literature data on PNS associated with a keratinocyte skin neoplasm (KSC). Employing Pubmed, MEDLINE was searched for KSC-associated PNS reports. Forty relevant entries were assembled, reporting a total of 41 PNS cases associated with a KSC (34 male). No review paper compiling this topic was found. Six distinct PNS entities were identified, and malignancy associated hypercalcemia (MAH; 78%), anemia (10%) and Bazex syndrome (5%) were the most frequently reported among them. 85% of the PNS were reported in association with SCC, 10% with BCC, and the rest with adnexal tumors. The median age of the patients at the time of PNS diagnosis was 58 years (range: five–83 years). In most cases the PNS was diagnosed either concurrently or after the KSC diagnosis. KSC predisposing conditions, as scars (22%) or hidradenitis suppurativa (20%), were reported in >70% of the PNS cases. Most PNS resolved after KSC treatment. In conclusion, PNS of a rather limited spectrum of entities are reported in association with KSC. They also seem to be rare, possibly reflecting a limited capacity of KSC to provoke overt PNS.

Theranostics of skin neoplasms based on luminescence diagnostics in combination with photodynamic therapy in the absorption band of porphyrin

We report the results of developing a technique for theranostics of skin neoplasms based on luminescence diagnostics in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the absorption band of porphyrin. It is shown that the therapeutic effect is achieved exclusively due to PDT, without the participation of the hyperthermia process, which occurs at temperatures above 42 °C. The Fluroscan gel [based on the dipotassium salt of the ytterbium complex of 2,4-di-(a-methoxyethyl)deuteroporphyrin IX (Yb-DMDP)] is used as a preparation for theranostics. The main photophysical properties and possible mechanisms of accumulation of nanosized low-toxic photosensitisers based on this compound are studied. It is shown that the Yb-DMDP compound in a DMSO solution (30% aqueous DMSO) enhances photophysical characteristics (luminescence lifetime 5-10 ms, luminescence quantum yield up to 1%, extinction coefficient ~1.96 × 105 M-1 cm-1 at a wavelength of 398 nm). Experimental animals are used to test the proposed technique for theranostics of tumours using the Fluroscan gel and a fibre-optic laser fluorimeter.

Biopsy-free in vivo virtual histology of skin using deep learning

An invasive biopsy followed by histological staining is the benchmark for pathological diagnosis of skin tumors. The process is cumbersome and time-consuming, often leading to unnecessary biopsies and scars. Emerging noninvasive optical technologies such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) can provide label-free, cellular-level resolution, in vivo images of skin without performing a biopsy. Although RCM is a useful diagnostic tool, it requires specialized training because the acquired images are grayscale, lack nuclear features, and are difficult to correlate with tissue pathology. Here, we present a deep learning-based framework that uses a convolutional neural network to rapidly transform in vivo RCM images of unstained skin into virtually-stained hematoxylin and eosin-like images with microscopic resolution, enabling visualization of the epidermis, dermal-epidermal junction, and superficial dermis layers. The network was trained under an adversarial learning scheme, which takes ex vivo RCM images of excised unstained/label-free tissue as inputs and uses the microscopic images of the same tissue labeled with acetic acid nuclear contrast staining as the ground truth. We show that this trained neural network can be used to rapidly perform virtual histology of in vivo, label-free RCM images of normal skin structure, basal cell carcinoma, and melanocytic nevi with pigmented melanocytes, demonstrating similar histological features to traditional histology from the same excised tissue. This application of deep learning-based virtual staining to noninvasive imaging technologies may permit more rapid diagnoses of malignant skin neoplasms and reduce invasive skin biopsies.

Benign Skin Neoplasms among the Histopathological Specimens of Skin Neoplasm in a Teaching Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Skin tumors are relatively uncommon malignancies worldwide, but its incidence has been progressively increased over the last few decades. Skin tumor belongs to a diverse group of neoplasms arising from the epidermis, adnexal structures and dermis rendering the classification difficult. The study aims to find out the prevalence of benign skin neoplasm among the histopathological specimens of skin neoplasm of a teaching hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among the hospital records of histopathological samples of skin neoplasm in the Department of Pathology of a tertiary care center from January 2017 to December 2020. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee (Ref: MEMG/IRC/427/GA). Convenient sampling was done. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21 software. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated with frequency and descriptive statistics. Results: Out of total skin neoplasm samples, 121 (57.34%) (50.67-64.01 at 95% Confidence Interval) benign skin neoplasms were present. Among them, the majority were keratinocytic tumor 81 (66.9%) followed by skin appendageal 23 (19.0%) and melanocytic tumors 17 (14.0%). Acrochordan 18 (14.9%) and pilomatricoma 12 (9.9%) were the predominant keratinocytic and appendageal neoplasms respectively. Most of the cases occurred in head and neck region 64 (52.9%). Conclusions: The study concluded that the prevalence of benign skin neoplasm was slightly lower compared to the other studies. Most of the benign skin neoplasms were keratinocytic tumors followed by appendageal and melanocytic tumors. Acrochordan was the commonest benign keratinocytic tumor.

System for neural network recognition of malignant pigmented skin neoplasms with image pre-processing

The article presents a system for the recognition of malignant pigmented skin neoplasms with a preliminary processing stage. Image pre-processing consists of removing hair structures from images, as well as resizing images and their further augmentation. Augmentation made it possible to increase the variety of training data, balance the number of images in different categories, and avoid retraining the neural network. The modeling was carried out using the MatLab R2020b software package for solving technical calculations on clinical dermatoscopic images from the international open archive ISIC Melanoma Project. The proposed system for the recognition of malignant pigmented skin neoplasms made it possible to increase the accuracy of image classification up to 80.55%. The use of the proposed recognition system will make it possible to increase the efficiency and quality of diagnosis, in comparison with the methods of visual diagnosis.

The role of local retinoids in eliminating signs of skin aging

Skin aging is a complex process involving both internal (chronological aging) and external (biological aging) factors. Slowing down the proliferative and immune processes in the epidermis, reducing the activity of fibroblasts and vascularization of the dermis during chronological aging lead to thinning, dryness, hypersensitivity, vulnerability and superficial wrinkles. Exposure to ultraviolet rays, pollutants, climate, and thermal factors cause keratinocyte disorganization, enhanced melanogenesis, collagen dystrophy, solar elastosis, and disorder of microcirculation. The main signs of external skin aging are deep wrinkles, sagging, pigmentation, telangiectasia, skin neoplasms. Among the local anti-aging agents, retinoids occupy a leading place, as they eliminate the main signs of skin aging. Of the entire group of retinoids, retinoic acids are the most active. However, the possibility of skin irritation limits their use. Therapeutic and cosmetic products with retinol esters (retinol palmitate) have a minimal irritating effect and can be used both for the prevention of skin aging and the elimination of its signs. Oral use of isotretinoin as an anti-aging agent is undesirable due to the many side effects and contraindications.

The state of cancer care in Russia: malignant neoplasms of the skin (C44). Typical mortality, median survival, observed and relative survival, taking into account the stage of the disease. Population-based research at the federal district level

In the previous article, we presented an analysis of the prevalence and quality of registration of patients with malignant neoplasms of the skin (C44) in Russia and the North-Western Federal District, showed the quality of accounting and revealed the features of the dynamics of localization and histological structure. In this report, for the first time in Russia, our attention is focused on the nature of evaluating the effectiveness of anti – cancer measures based on the main criterion-calculating the survival rates of patients with malignant skin neoplasms at the level of the North-Western Federal District, whose level of "rough" and standardized indicators of morbidity and mortality of the population practically does not differ from the average Russian one. Calculations of all types of survival rates of patients with malignant skin neoplasms (C44) at the federal district level became possible after the organization in February 2019 of a single database (DB) of the cancer registry of the North-Western Federal District, numbering more than 1 million cases of ZNO, including more than 20,000 with malignant melanoma of the skin (2.0%). The created database allows for in-depth development of the dynamics of the localization and histological structure for any part of the localization structure (lip, ear, trunk, etc. parts of the body), which is not available for conducting on the basis of state reporting forms formed before receiving all the information characterizing the state of the oncological service, not to mention that when analyzing the activities of the oncological service, databases of population cancer registers are not used and calculations of the main criterion for its assessment – the calculation of patient survival.

Color recognition of dermatoscopic images of skin neoplasms

The problem of determining the colors of dermatoscopic images of skin neoplasms using computer technologies is considered. Based on the proposed model, a program for recognizing the colors of the studied areas of neoplasm has been developed. The adequacy of this model was tested experimentally. This work is designed to increase the reliability of the diagnosis of skin neoplasms.