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Keywords = solar actinic keratosis

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18 pages, 4043 KiB  
Article
Clinico-Pathologic Profile of a Cohort of Patients with Actinic Keratosis in a Tertiary Center in Romania
by Cristina Soare, Elena Codruța Cozma, Andrei Ludovic Poroșnicu, Daniel Alin Cristian, Draga Maria Mandi, Călin Giurcăneanu and Vlad Mihai Voiculescu
Cancers 2025, 17(12), 1923; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17121923 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 427
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Actinic keratosis (AK) is considered to be the most common form of in situ carcinoma and typically arises on skin that has been chronically exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The need for early diagnosis, using non-invasive methods, has allowed for a non-surgical approach [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Actinic keratosis (AK) is considered to be the most common form of in situ carcinoma and typically arises on skin that has been chronically exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The need for early diagnosis, using non-invasive methods, has allowed for a non-surgical approach to these conditions with a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 58 patients diagnosed with AK who underwent surgical excision at a tertiary center in Bucharest, Romania between 2018 and 2023. Clinical parameters (age, sex, lesion size, anatomical location, comorbidities) and histopathological variables (AK subtype, KIN grade, pleomorphism, solar elastosis, inflammatory infiltrate) were analyzed. Statistical associations between histological findings and clinical features were assessed using Fisher’s exact test. Conclusions: The study confirmed a predominance of AK among elderly patients, with hypertrophic lesions and moderate dysplasia (KIN II) being most common. Higher KIN grades correlated significantly with more severe pleomorphism, solar elastosis, and inflammatory response, suggesting progressive UV-induced skin damage. The findings underscore the importance of clinicopathological correlation for risk stratification and support the integration of non-invasive diagnostic tools to improve early detection and management of AK. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Clinical Research of Cancer)
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14 pages, 3232 KiB  
Article
Zoom-in Dermoscopy for Facial Tumors
by Martina D’Onghia, Francesca Falcinelli, Lorenzo Barbarossa, Alberto Pinto, Alessandra Cartocci, Linda Tognetti, Giovanni Rubegni, Anastasia Batsikosta, Pietro Rubegni and Elisa Cinotti
Diagnostics 2025, 15(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15030324 - 30 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 954
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Facial lesions, including lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma (LM/LMM), both malignant, present significant diagnostic challenges due to their clinical similarity to benign conditions. Although standard dermoscopy is a well-established tool for diagnosis, its inability to reveal cellular-level details highlights the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Facial lesions, including lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma (LM/LMM), both malignant, present significant diagnostic challenges due to their clinical similarity to benign conditions. Although standard dermoscopy is a well-established tool for diagnosis, its inability to reveal cellular-level details highlights the necessity of new magnified techniques. This study aimed to assess the role of standard dermoscopy, high-magnification dermoscopy, and fluorescence-advanced videodermatoscopy (FAV) in diagnosing LM/LMM and differentiating them from benign facial lesions. Methods: This retrospective, observational, multicenter study evaluated 85 patients with facial skin lesions (including LM, LMM, basal-cell carcinoma, solar lentigo, seborrheic keratosis, actinic keratosis, and nevi) who underwent dermatological examination for skin tumor screening. Standard dermoscopy at 30× magnification (D30), high-magnification dermoscopy at 150× magnification (D150), and FAV examination were performed. Dermoscopic images were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of fifteen 30× and twenty-one 150× dermoscopic features, and their frequency was calculated. To compare D30 with D150 and D150 with FAV, the Gwet AC1 concordance index and the correct classification rate (CCR) were estimated. Results: Among 85 facial lesions analyzed, LM/LMM exhibited distinctive dermoscopic features at D30, including a blue–white veil (38.9% vs. 1.7%, p < 0.001), regression structures (55.6% vs. 21.7%, p = 0.013), irregular dots or globules (50.0% vs. 10%, p = 0.001), angulated lines (72.2% vs. 6.7%, p < 0.001), an annular granular pattern (61.1% vs. 20%, p = 0.002), asymmetrical pigmented follicular openings (100.0% vs. 21.7%; p < 0.001), and follicular obliteration (27.8% vs. 3.3%). At D150, roundish melanocytes (87.5% vs. 18.2%, p < 0.001) and melanophages (43.8% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.019) were predominant. FAV examination identified large dendritic cells, isolated melanocytes, and free melanin in LM/LMM (all p < 0.001) with high concordance to D150. Conclusions: Integrating D30, D150, and FAV into clinical practice may enhance diagnostic precision for facial lesions by combining macroscopic and cellular insights, thereby reducing unnecessary biopsies. However, future studies are essential to confirm these results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Skin Cancer)
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17 pages, 2142 KiB  
Review
Exploring Anti-Aging Effects of Topical Treatments for Actinic Keratosis
by Federica Li Pomi, Andrea d’Aloja, Dario Valguarnera, Mario Vaccaro and Francesco Borgia
Medicina 2025, 61(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61020207 - 24 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2339
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precancerous cutaneous lesion driven by chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure, often coexisting with features of photoaging, such as wrinkles and pigmentary irregularities. Recent evidence suggests that treatments for AK may also counteract photoaging through shared [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precancerous cutaneous lesion driven by chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure, often coexisting with features of photoaging, such as wrinkles and pigmentary irregularities. Recent evidence suggests that treatments for AK may also counteract photoaging through shared molecular pathways, including oxidative stress and inflammation. This narrative review explores the dual benefits of AK therapies, highlighting their potential anti-aging and skin-lightening effects, and implications for improving skin appearance alongside lesion clearance. Materials and Methods: The literature was analyzed to assess the efficacy, mechanisms, and cosmetic outcomes of commonly used AK treatments, including topical agents (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), imiquimod, diclofenac, and tirbanibulin), and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Studies highlighting their effects on photoaged skin, collagen remodeling, pigmentation, and patient satisfaction were reviewed. Results: PDT emerged as the most validated treatment, demonstrating improved collagen synthesis, skin texture, and pigmentation. 5-FU showed remodeling of the dermal matrix and increased procollagen levels, but local skin reactions represent a major limitation. Imiquimod enhanced dermal fibroplasia and reduced solar elastosis, while diclofenac provided mild photodamage improvements with minimal adverse effects. Tirbanibulin showed promising aesthetic outcomes, including skin lightening and a reduction in mottled pigmentation, with favorable tolerability. Conclusions: AK therapies offer a dual-purpose strategy, addressing both precancerous lesions and cosmetic concerns associated with photoaging. While PDT remains the gold standard, emerging agents like tirbanibulin ointment exhibit substantial potential. Future research should focus on optimizing treatment protocols and evaluating long-term cosmetic outcomes to enhance patient satisfaction and compliance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Dermatology)
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8 pages, 837 KiB  
Communication
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms on Toll-like Receptor-4 and the Risk of Developing Skin Cancer
by Nabiha Yusuf, Noha Sharafeldin, Mohammad Saleem, Tom Callens, Ludwine M. Messiaen and Craig A. Elmets
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12728; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312728 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 953
Abstract
Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an established risk factor for skin cancer. Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4)-mediated immune dysregulation has emerged as a key mechanism for the detrimental effects of acute and chronic UV exposure and skin cancer in mice. Single nucleotide polymorphisms [...] Read more.
Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an established risk factor for skin cancer. Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4)-mediated immune dysregulation has emerged as a key mechanism for the detrimental effects of acute and chronic UV exposure and skin cancer in mice. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the TLR4 gene have been reported to increase or decrease susceptibility to various cancers in other organs. There is limited information on TLR4 SNPs and susceptibility to human keratinocyte carcinomas. The study’s objective is to test the association between TLR4 SNPs and the risk of developing keratinocyte carcinomas. Skin cancer patients and controls at the University of Alabama at Birmingham completed a cross-sectional survey on personal and family history of skin cancer as well as on sunscreen use and tanning proneness. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from participants, and DNA was extracted to genotype the TLR4 SNPs. Descriptive analytics were used to describe the cohort. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between TLR4 SNPs and skin cancer risk. The sample consisted of a cohort of 93 skin cancer patients over the age of 50 and 94 controls; 33.3% of cases and 44.7% of controls were females; 12.9% of cases and 17% of controls had a TLR4 SNP. The most common SNP was D299G/T399I in 9.7% of skin cancer patients and 13.8% of controls. We did not find a statistically significant association between the D299G/T399I SNP and skin cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.11, 1.07, p = 0.065) adjusting for age, sex, eye color, actinic keratosis, sunscreen use and reapplication, and family history of skin cancer. Based on our findings from our limited cohort of participants, we found some protective effect for the TLR4 SNP for skin cancer, which was not statistically significant. Validation of these findings in a larger cohort is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Biology: From Genetic Aspects to Treatment)
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11 pages, 3222 KiB  
Article
Dermoscopy Training Course Improves Ophthalmologists’ Accuracy in Diagnosing Atypical Pigmented Periorbital Skin Lesions
by Giovanni Rubegni, Alessandra Cartocci, Linda Tognetti, Matteo Orione, Caterina Gagliano, Tommaso Bacci, Antonio Tarantello, Nicola Lo Russo, Mario Fruschelli, Niccolò Castellino, Ernesto De Piano, Martina D’Onghia, Gabriele Cevenini, Teresio Avitabile, Pietro Rubegni, Alessio Luschi and Gian Marco Tosi
Diagnostics 2024, 14(22), 2571; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14222571 - 15 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 878
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Facial pigmented skin lesions are extremely common, starting from the fourth to fifth decades, especially in South-European countries, often located in the periorbital region. These include malignant forms, Lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), characterized by growing incidence, and a [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Facial pigmented skin lesions are extremely common, starting from the fourth to fifth decades, especially in South-European countries, often located in the periorbital region. These include malignant forms, Lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), characterized by growing incidence, and a series of benign simulators, including solar lentigo (SL), pigmented actinic keratosis (PAK), seborrheic keratosis (SK) and lichen planus-like keratosis (LPK). The clinical differential diagnosis of atypical pigmented skin lesions (aPFLs) can be difficult, even for dermatologists, leading to inappropriate skin biopsies with consequent aesthetic impacts. Dermoscopy of the facial area is a specific dermoscopic field that requires dedicated training and proved to increase diagnostic accuracy in dermatologists. Since these lesions are often seen by ophthalmologists at first, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a focused dermoscopy training course on a group of ophthalmologists naïve to the use of a dermatoscope. Methods: A set of 80 periorbital pigmented skin lesions with both clinical and dermoscopic images was selected and evaluated by six ophthalmologists before and after a one-day intensive dermoscopic training course. They were required to evaluate 80 periorbital lesions one month before and after a one-day intensive dermoscopic training course, illustrating second-level diagnostic options such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), obtaining a total of 480 evaluations. Specifically, they had to provide, for each case, a punctual diagnosis and a management option among dermoscopic follow-up/skin biopsy/RCM/LC-OCT. Descriptive statistics were carried out, and the accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SE), and specificity (SP), with their 95% confidence interval (95% CI), were estimated. Results: In the pre-course test, ophthalmologists achieved 84.0% SP, 33.3% SE and 63.7% ACC, while after the course, SE increased by +9% (i.e., 41.7%), SP decreased by 4%, and ACC remained comparable, i.e., 64.6%. In the management study, the percentage of benign lesions for which a close dermoscopic follow-up was suggested significantly decreased (51.6% versus 22.2%), in parallel with an increase in the number of lesions referred for RCM. As for malignant cases, the reduction in responses “close dermoscopic follow-up” decreased from 37.0% to 9.9%, (−27%), in favor of RCM (+15%) and skin biopsy (+12%). Conclusions: The ophthalmologists proved to be very receptive in quickly metabolizing and putting into practice the concepts learned during the one-day intensive dermoscopy training course. Indeed, after only a one-day lesson, they were able to increase their SE by 9% and to improve their management strategy. The present findings highlight the importance of providing training ophthalmologists in dermoscopy during residency programs, in terms of benefits for the correct patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in the Diagnosis of Skin Tumors)
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14 pages, 4579 KiB  
Article
Effective Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma with a Topical Enzymatic Mixture Enriched in Bromelain: Summary of Proof-Of Concept Clinical Studies on the First 22 Tumors
by Lior Rosenberg, Yaron Shoham, Brian Berman, Stephen K. Tyring, Michael D. Tharp and Adam J. Singer
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(21), 6624; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13216624 - 4 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2510
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most prevalent form of human cancer, is traditionally treated by surgical and alternative destructive or topical chemical means, each with its advantages, challenges, and drawbacks. We describe our experience treating BCCs with a topical concentrate of proteolytic [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most prevalent form of human cancer, is traditionally treated by surgical and alternative destructive or topical chemical means, each with its advantages, challenges, and drawbacks. We describe our experience treating BCCs with a topical concentrate of proteolytic enzymes enriched in bromelain (CPEEB) sourced from pineapple stems. CPEEB has strong proteolytic, antitumor–proapoptotic, and inflammation modulation activities, and is approved for debridement of deep burns and starting phase 3 trials for chronic wounds. Methods: In the first proof-of-concept (POC) study, six BCCs on three individuals were treated with five to six daily CPEEB 10% topical applications under a zinc oxide-based occlusive dressing for 9–12 h each during a period of up to 10 days. These patients were followed for up to 4 years. In an additional two POC studies, 16 patients with one BCC each were treated every other day for a total of seven applications of topical CPEEB 5% under a variety of occlusive dressings. The wounds were followed for up to 2 months before undergoing diagnostic excisional biopsy. Results: In the first study, clinical assessment of the BCCs and two excisional biopsies after 6 months suggested that all lesions were eradicated with spontaneous healing within ~2 weeks without clinical or histological recurrence for over 4 years. In the two subsequent studies, 16 histologically diagnosed superficial and nodular BCCs were treated using four application techniques. Excisional histology after 2 months confirmed BCC eradication in seven of the patients. In nine patients, with compromised occlusive dressings, histological eradication was incomplete. Treatment was well tolerated by all patients with the expected local skin reactions, which completely healed within 2–3 weeks. Conclusions: These are POC preliminary studies aimed at indicating the potential efficacy and feasibility of topical CPEEB in eradicating BCC. In these studies, topical CPEEB 10% and 5% resulted in complete eradication of the BCC when appropriately applied. CPEEB was well tolerated in all patients, and all treated sites’ erosions healed without scars in <3 weeks. Further research is necessary to corroborate the results, refine the application technique, and complete the regulatory process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Oncology)
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15 pages, 666 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of AI Models for Atypical Pigmented Facial Lesion Diagnosis
by Alessandra Cartocci, Alessio Luschi, Linda Tognetti, Elisa Cinotti, Francesca Farnetani, Aimilios Lallas, John Paoli, Caterina Longo, Elvira Moscarella, Danica Tiodorovic, Ignazio Stanganelli, Mariano Suppa, Emi Dika, Iris Zalaudek, Maria Antonietta Pizzichetta, Jean Luc Perrot, Gabriele Cevenini, Ernesto Iadanza, Giovanni Rubegni, Harald Kittler, Philipp Tschandl and Pietro Rubegniadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Bioengineering 2024, 11(10), 1036; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11101036 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2032
Abstract
Diagnosing atypical pigmented facial lesions (aPFLs) is a challenging topic for dermatologists. Accurate diagnosis of these lesions is crucial for effective patient management, especially in dermatology, where visual assessment plays a central role. Incorrect diagnoses can result in mismanagement, delays in appropriate interventions, [...] Read more.
Diagnosing atypical pigmented facial lesions (aPFLs) is a challenging topic for dermatologists. Accurate diagnosis of these lesions is crucial for effective patient management, especially in dermatology, where visual assessment plays a central role. Incorrect diagnoses can result in mismanagement, delays in appropriate interventions, and potential harm. AI, however, holds the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and provide reliable support to clinicians. This work aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of machine learning (logistic regression of lesion features and patient metadata) and deep learning (CNN analysis of images) models in dermoscopy diagnosis and the management of aPFLs. This study involved the analysis of 1197 dermoscopic images of facial lesions excised due to suspicious and histologically confirmed malignancy, classified into seven classes (lentigo maligna—LM; lentigo maligna melanoma—LMM; atypical nevi—AN; pigmented actinic keratosis—PAK; solar lentigo—SL; seborrheic keratosis—SK; and seborrheic lichenoid keratosis—SLK). Image samples were collected through the Integrated Dermoscopy Score (iDScore) project. The statistical analysis of the dataset shows that the patients mean age was 65.5 ± 14.2, and the gender was equally distributed (580 males—48.5%; 617 females—51.5%). A total of 41.7% of the sample constituted malignant lesions (LM and LMM). Meanwhile, the benign lesions were mainly PAK (19.3%), followed by SL (22.2%), AN (10.4%), SK (4.0%), and SLK (2.3%). The lesions were mainly localised in the cheek and nose areas. A stratified analysis of the assessment provided by the enrolled dermatologists was also performed, resulting in 2445 evaluations of the 1197 images (2.1 evaluations per image on average). The physicians demonstrated higher accuracy in differentiating between malignant and benign lesions (71.2%) than in distinguishing between the seven specific diagnoses across all the images (42.9%). The logistic regression model obtained a precision of 39.1%, a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 33.9%, and an accuracy of 53.6% on the test set, while the CNN model showed lower sensitivity (58.2%) and higher precision (47.0%), specificity (90.8%), and accuracy (59.5%) for melanoma diagnosis. This research demonstrates how AI can enhance the diagnostic accuracy in complex dermatological cases like aPFLs by integrating AI models with clinical data and evaluating different diagnostic approaches, paving the way for more precise and scalable AI applications in dermatology, showing their critical role in improving patient management and the outcomes in dermatology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer Vision and Machine Learning in Medical Applications)
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9 pages, 554 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Ophthalmologists versus Dermatologists for the Diagnosis and Management of Periorbital Atypical Pigmented Skin Lesions
by Giovanni Rubegni, Marco Zeppieri, Linda Tognetti, Elisa Cinotti, Ernesto De Piano, Martina D’Onghia, Matteo Orione, Caterina Gagliano, Tommaso Bacci, Antonio Tarantello, Nicola Lo Russo, Niccolò Castellino, Giusy Miranda, Alessandra Cartocci, Gian Marco Tosi and Teresio Avitabile
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(16), 4787; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13164787 - 14 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1512
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) are significant subtypes of melanoma, with an annual incidence of 1.37 per 100,000 people in the U.S. These skin tumors, often found in photo-exposed areas such as the face, are frequently misdiagnosed, leading to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) are significant subtypes of melanoma, with an annual incidence of 1.37 per 100,000 people in the U.S. These skin tumors, often found in photo-exposed areas such as the face, are frequently misdiagnosed, leading to delayed treatment or unnecessary excisions, especially in the elderly. Facial melanocytic skin tumors (lentigo maligna—LM/lentigo maligna melanoma—LMM) and their simulators (solar lentigo, pigmented actinic keratosis, seborrheic keratosis and lichen planus-like keratosis) often affect the periocular region. Thus, their diagnosis and management can involve different medical figures, mainly dermatologists and ophthalmologists. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of ophthalmologists to diagnose and manage pigmented skin lesions of the periorbital area. Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, cross-sectional study on a dataset of 79 periorbital pigmented skin lesions with both clinical and dermoscopic images was selected. The images were reviewed by six ophthalmologists and two dermatologists. Descriptive statistics were carried out, and the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, with their 95% confidence interval (95% CI), were estimated. Results: Ophthalmologists achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 63.50% (95% CI: 58.99–67.85%), while dermatologists achieved 66.50% (95% CI: 58.5–73.8). The sensitivity was lower for ophthalmologists in respect to dermatologists, 33.3% vs. 46.9%, respectively. Concerning the case difficulty rating, ophthalmologists rated as “difficult” 84% of cases, while for dermatologists, it was about 30%. Management was also consistently different, with a “biopsy” decision being suggested in 25.5% of malignant lesions by ophthalmologists compared with 50% of dermatologists. Conclusions: Ophthalmologists revealed a good diagnostic potential in the identification of periorbital LMs/LMMs. Given progressive population ageing and the parallel increase in facial/periorbital skin tumors, the opportunity to train new generations of ophthalmologists in the early diagnosis of these neoformations should be considered in the next future, also taking into account the surgical difficulty/complexity of this peculiar facial area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Dermatology)
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14 pages, 882 KiB  
Perspective
Prevention of Occupational Skin Cancer Caused by Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure: Recent Achievements and Perspectives
by Cara Symanzik and Swen M. John
Dermato 2024, 4(2), 46-59; https://doi.org/10.3390/dermato4020006 - 6 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3489
Abstract
In fair-skinned populations worldwide, skin cancer is a serious public health threat. A significant percentage of all reported occupational diseases fall back on skin cancer. Over the past few decades, there has been a rise in the frequency of skin cancer diagnoses among [...] Read more.
In fair-skinned populations worldwide, skin cancer is a serious public health threat. A significant percentage of all reported occupational diseases fall back on skin cancer. Over the past few decades, there has been a rise in the frequency of skin cancer diagnoses among outdoor workers. The main cause of non-melanoma skin cancer is solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is also the most common occupational carcinogenic exposure in terms of the number of exposed workers (i.e., outdoor workers). Sun protection—and concomitantly the prevention of occupational skin cancer—is a component of workplace safety. The risks of solar UVR exposure at work are often disregarded in practice, despite the recent recognition of the need for measures to support outdoor workers’ sun protection behavior. It is anticipated that occupational dermatology will become increasingly focused on sun safety in the coming decades. To handle current hurdles in a sustainable manner, the full range of preventive measures should be utilized. Existing strategies for the prevention of occupational skin cancer might be evolved and enriched by new (educational) concepts, methods, and/or technologies. In this, not only components of general prevention and individual prevention but also setting-based prevention and behavior-based prevention might be freshly thought through. Full article
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11 pages, 3804 KiB  
Article
Reflectance Confocal Microscopy and Dermoscopy of Facial Pigmented and Non-Pigmented Actinic Keratosis Features before and after Photodynamic Therapy Treatment
by Ewelina Mazur, Dominika Kwiatkowska and Adam Reich
Cancers 2023, 15(23), 5598; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15235598 - 27 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1852
Abstract
Actinic keratosis (AK), due to its widespread prevalence, as well as the possibility of progression to an invasive form of squamous cell carcinoma, requires treatment regardless of the clinical stage. New imaging techniques, such as in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), significantly increase [...] Read more.
Actinic keratosis (AK), due to its widespread prevalence, as well as the possibility of progression to an invasive form of squamous cell carcinoma, requires treatment regardless of the clinical stage. New imaging techniques, such as in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), significantly increase the accuracy of diagnosis and allow noninvasive evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of the ongoing treatment. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of specific (video)dermoscopy and RCM features of pigmented and classical subtypes of AK before and after photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment. We included patients with facial grade II AKs (25 pigmented, 275 non-pigmented) were included in the study. Skin lesions were evaluated by (video)dermoscopy and RCM at the baseline and three months after PDT. In classic AK, the most frequent dermoscopic findings were fine wavy vessels (96%), scale (92%), microerosions (48%), and “strawberry” pattern (36%), while pigmented AK was characterized mostly by “rhomboidal pattern” (80%), scale (60%), white globules (48%), “jelly sign”, and superficial pigmentation (40%). RCM’s most characteristic classic AK findings were abnormal honeycomb pattern in the spinous layer, epidermal inflammatory infiltrate, and solar elastosis that were present in 96% of lesions. Pigmented AKs presented mostly with dark central areas of parakeratosis (72%), mottled pigmentation (72%), dermal inflammatory infiltrate (64%), solar elastosis (60%), and abnormal honeycomb pattern in the spinous layer (56%). Dermoscopically, PDT resulted in complete disappearance of the “rhomboidal pattern” in both classical and pigmented AKs, “starburst pattern” and “jelly sign” in classical AKs, and inner gray halo, “rosette sign” and central crust in pigmented AKs. Three months after one PDT session, RCM evaluation showed mostly solar elastosis in both classical and pigmented AK subtypes, epidermal inflammatory infiltrate in classical AKs, and dermal inflammatory infiltrate in pigmented AKs. New noninvasive imaging techniques such as RCM and (video)dermoscopy can help practitioners better visualize the efficacy of the ongoing PDT treatment in either classical or pigmented AK subtypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermoscopy in Skin Cancer)
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16 pages, 1827 KiB  
Article
Computer-Aided Diagnosis for Early Signs of Skin Diseases Using Multi Types Feature Fusion Based on a Hybrid Deep Learning Model
by Saleh Naif Almuayqil, Sameh Abd El-Ghany and Mohammed Elmogy
Electronics 2022, 11(23), 4009; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics11234009 - 2 Dec 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 14462
Abstract
According to medical reports and statistics, skin diseases have millions of victims worldwide. These diseases might affect the health and life of patients and increase the costs of healthcare services. Delays in diagnosing such diseases make it difficult to overcome the consequences of [...] Read more.
According to medical reports and statistics, skin diseases have millions of victims worldwide. These diseases might affect the health and life of patients and increase the costs of healthcare services. Delays in diagnosing such diseases make it difficult to overcome the consequences of these types of disease. Usually, diagnosis is performed using dermoscopic images, where specialists utilize certain measures to produce the results. This approach to diagnosis faces multiple disadvantages, such as overlapping infectious and inflammatory skin diseases and high levels of visual diversity, obstructing accurate diagnosis. Therefore, this article uses medical image analysis and artificial intelligence to present an automatic diagnosis system of different skin lesion categories using dermoscopic images. The addressed diseases are actinic keratoses (solar keratoses), benign keratosis (BKL), melanocytic nevi (NV), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), dermatofibroma (DF), melanoma (MEL), and vascular skin lesions (VASC). The proposed system consists of four main steps: (i) preprocessing the input raw image data and metadata; (ii) feature extraction using six pre-trained deep learning models (i.e., VGG19, InceptionV3, ResNet50, DenseNet201, and Xception); (iii) features concatenation; and (iv) classification/diagnosis using machine learning techniques. The evaluation results showed an average accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and disc similarity coefficient (DSC) of around 99.94%, 91.48%, 98.82%, 97.01%, and 94.00%, respectively. Full article
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8 pages, 1077 KiB  
Article
Auricular Non-Epithelial Tumors with Solar Elastosis in Cats: A Possible UV-Induced Pathogenesis
by Francesca Millanta, Francesca Parisi, Alessandro Poli, Virginia Sorelli and Francesca Abramo
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9020034 - 18 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3672
Abstract
The photoinduced etiopathology of actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma in feline species is well known. This etiology has also been reported for non-epithelial cutaneous tumors in other species. To date, no cases of auricular non-epithelial cutaneous neoplasms erased in a contest of [...] Read more.
The photoinduced etiopathology of actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma in feline species is well known. This etiology has also been reported for non-epithelial cutaneous tumors in other species. To date, no cases of auricular non-epithelial cutaneous neoplasms erased in a contest of actinic keratosis in cats have been reported. The aim of this study was to describe feline auricular non-epithelial cutaneous neoplasms associated with typical UV-induced cutaneous lesions and solar elastosis. The study was conducted on five feline cases diagnosed with auricular non-epithelial cutaneous tumors (two fibrosarcomas, one mixosarcoma, one epithelioid melanoma and one hemangiosarcoma), selected from the Tumor Registry of the Department of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Pisa (1998–2018). Ten and six feline auricular biopsies of normal skin and skin with actinic keratosis, respectively, were used as controls. Orcein stain was used to investigate solar elastosis. Histological changes related to chronic solar irradiation were documented in the skin adjacent to the neoplastic lesions in the five cats. Considering the anatomical localization and the results of histopathology, this study suggests that non-epithelial cutaneous neoplasms may have a UV-induced etiopathogenesis in the feline species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comparative Pathology of Cancers in Animals)
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11 pages, 1592 KiB  
Article
A Critical Appraisal of Evidence- and Consensus-Based Guidelines for Actinic Keratosis
by Anja Wessely, Theresa Steeb, Franz Heppt, Annkathrin Hornung, Matthias D. Kaufmann, Elias A. T. Koch, Frédéric Toussaint, Michael Erdmann, Carola Berking and Markus V. Heppt
Curr. Oncol. 2021, 28(1), 950-960; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol28010093 - 19 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4755
Abstract
Actinic keratoses (AK) are common lesions of the skin that can be effectively treated with several lesion- and field-directed treatments. Clinical practice guidelines assist physicians in choosing the appropriate treatment options for their patients. Here, we aimed to systematically identify and evaluate the [...] Read more.
Actinic keratoses (AK) are common lesions of the skin that can be effectively treated with several lesion- and field-directed treatments. Clinical practice guidelines assist physicians in choosing the appropriate treatment options for their patients. Here, we aimed to systematically identify and evaluate the methodological quality of currently available guidelines for AK. Guidelines published within the last 5 years were identified in a systematic search of guideline databases, Medline and Embase. Then, six independent reviewers evaluated the methodological quality using the tools “Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation” (AGREE II) and “Recommendation EXcellence” (AGREE-REX). The Kruskal–Wallis (H) test was used to explore differences among subgroups and Spearman’s correlation to examine the relationship between individual domains. Three guidelines developed by consortia from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom were eligible for the evaluation. The German guideline achieved the highest scores, fulfilling 65 to 92% of the criteria in AGREE II and 67 to 84% in AGREE-REX, whereas the Canadian guideline scored 31 to 71% of the criteria in AGREE II and 33 to 46% in AGREE-REX. The domains “stakeholder involvement“ and “values and preferences“ were identified as methodological weaknesses requiring particular attention and improvement in future guideline efforts. Full article
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11 pages, 241 KiB  
Conference Report
Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure: Some Observations and Considerations, Focusing on Some Italian Experiences, on Cancer Risk, and Primary Prevention
by Lucia Miligi
Environments 2020, 7(2), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments7020010 - 22 Jan 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6652
Abstract
Solar ultraviolet radiation may cause acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eyes, and also on the immune system. Actinic keratosis, non-melanoma skin cancers, and malignant melanoma are the main long-term adverse skin effects. In the white population, the most common type [...] Read more.
Solar ultraviolet radiation may cause acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eyes, and also on the immune system. Actinic keratosis, non-melanoma skin cancers, and malignant melanoma are the main long-term adverse skin effects. In the white population, the most common type of cancer worldwide is skin cancer, and the incidence of this cancer has increased during the last decades. The most important risk factor responsible for this trend seems to be Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR). IARC has classified UVR as being carcinogenic to humans. UV radiation exposure is ubiquitous; to study skin cancer risk, it is important to take into account the fact that UV exposure may occur both for occupational activities but also during vacation or recreational activities. Furthermore, exposure to artificial UVR such as those emitted by artificial devices, classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans, is also to be considered. Due to the prominent role of UVR, primary prevention of skin cancer is very suitable, because when following specific rules this risk factor can be reduced. The incidence rate of skin cancer is higher in people with fair skin. Outdoor workers exposed to solar UVR are at risk of developing skin cancer, particularly non-melanoma skin cancers, and welders exposed to artificial UVR are at risk of developing ocular melanoma. A specific project on solar UVR risk in outdoor workers in Tuscany, Italy, has shown that outdoor workers had an unsatisfactory sun protection behaviour. The project demonstrates the complexity of studying UVR exposure and recommended the need for prevention programs. Risk increases with increasing ambient solar radiation and with unsafe behaviours in the sun or when using artificial UVR (e.g., sunbeds). Effective prevention strategies have to be adopted both for the outdoor workers and for the general population exposed to UVR. A standardized program of proven efficacy, such as that implemented in Australia, should also be implemented in other countries. All these strategies could contribute to the aim of decreasing the morbidity and mortality of cancers associated with this exposure. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of UVR exposure risk, particularly occupational risk, and to give some elements to understand the complexity of the relation between UVR exposure and cancer risk, as well as to outline primary prevention measures, focusing also on Italian experiences that could be useful for providing additional elements of knowledge on this topic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Agents: Measurement Methods, Modelling and Mitigations)
24 pages, 396 KiB  
Review
Solar Radiation Exposure and Outdoor Work: An Underestimated Occupational Risk
by Alberto Modenese, Leena Korpinen and Fabriziomaria Gobba
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(10), 2063; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102063 - 20 Sep 2018
Cited by 160 | Viewed by 16574
Abstract
A considerably high number of outdoor workers worldwide are constantly exposed for the majority of their working life to solar radiation (SR); this exposure is known to induce various adverse health effects, mainly related to its ultraviolet (UV) component. The skin and the [...] Read more.
A considerably high number of outdoor workers worldwide are constantly exposed for the majority of their working life to solar radiation (SR); this exposure is known to induce various adverse health effects, mainly related to its ultraviolet (UV) component. The skin and the eye are the principal target organs for both acute and long-term exposure. Actinic keratosis, non-melanoma skin cancers, and malignant melanoma are the main long-term adverse skin effects, whereas in the eye pterygium, cataracts, and according to an increasing body of evidence, macular degeneration may be induced. Despite this, SR exposure risk is currently undervalued, if not neglected, as an occupational risk factor for outdoor workers. SR exposure is influenced by various environmental and individual factors, and occupation is one of the most relevant. For a better understanding of this risk and for the development of more effective prevention strategies, one of the main problems is the lack of available and adequate methods to estimate SR worker exposure, especially long-term exposure. The main aims of this review were to provide a comprehensive overview of SR exposure risk of outdoor workers, including the UV exposure levels and the main methods recently proposed for short-term and cumulative exposure, and to provide an update of knowledge on the main adverse eye and skin effects. Finally, we also outline here preventive interventions to reduce occupational risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion 2018)
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