Faculty Bibliography

Melanoma is usually apparent on the skin and readily detected by trained medical providers using a routine total body skin examination, yet this malignancy is responsible for the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. Currently, there is no national consensus on skin cancer screening in the USA, but dermatologists and primary care providers are routinely confronted with making the decision about when to recommend total body skin examinations and at what interval. The objectives of this paper are: to propose rational, risk-based, data-driven guidelines commensurate with the US Preventive Services Task Force screening guidelines for other disorders; to compare our proposed guidelines to recommendations made by other national and international organizations; and to review the US Preventive Services Task Force's 2016 Draft Recommendation Statement on skin cancer screening.

Importance: Skin cancer is the most common malignancy occurring after organ transplantation. Although previous research has reported an increased risk of skin cancer in solid organ transplant recipients (OTRs), no study has estimated the posttransplant population-based incidence in the United States. Objective: To determine the incidence and evaluate the risk factors for posttransplant skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), melanoma (MM), and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) in a cohort of US OTRs receiving a primary organ transplant in 2003 or 2008. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter retrospective cohort study examined 10649 adult recipients of a primary transplant performed at 26 centers across the United States in the Transplant Skin Cancer Network during 1 of 2 calendar years (either 2003 or 2008) identified through the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database. Recipients of all organs except intestine were included, and the follow-up periods were 5 and 10 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incident skin cancer was determined through detailed medical record review. Data on predictors were obtained from the OPTN database. The incidence rates for posttransplant skin cancer overall and for SCC, MM, and MCC were calculated per 100000 person-years. Potential risk factors for posttransplant skin cancer were tested using multivariate Cox regression analysis to yield adjusted hazard ratios (HR). Results: Overall, 10649 organ transplant recipients (mean [SD] age, 51 [12] years; 3873 women [36%] and 6776 men [64%]) contributed 59923 years of follow-up. The incidence rates for posttransplant skin cancer was 1408 per 100000 person-years. Specific subtype rates for SCC, MM, and MCC were 1328, 122, and 4 per 100000 person-years, respectively. Statistically significant risk factors for posttransplant skin cancer included pretransplant skin cancer (HR, 4.69; 95% CI, 3.26-6.73), male sex (HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.34-1.81), white race (HR, 9.04; 95% CI, 6.20-13.18), age at transplant 50 years or older (HR, 2.77; 95% CI, 2.20-3.48), and being transplanted in 2008 vs 2003 (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.22-1.94). Conclusions and Relevance: Posttransplant skin cancer is common, with elevated risk imparted by increased age, white race, male sex, and thoracic organ transplantation. A temporal cohort effect was present. Understanding the risk factors and trends in posttransplant skin cancer is fundamental to targeted screening and prevention in this population.

Changes in melanocytic nevi during pregnancy are frequently attributed to the new hormonal milieu and are dismissed without concern for malignancy. Recent studies suggest that pregnancy itself does not induce significant change in nevi, and delays in the assessment of changing moles may contribute to the often more advanced nature of melanomas diagnosed during or soon after pregnancy. Nevi on the breasts and abdomen can grow as a result of skin expansion, but studies have found no significant changes in nevi located in more stable areas such as the back or lower extremities. There is also insufficient evidence to support the notion that nevi darken during pregnancy. As such, any changing nevus that would raise concern for malignancy in a nonpregnant patient should do so in a pregnant patient as well. Pregnancy can, however, induce physiologic pigmentary changes that are often worrisome to both patients and physicians. These benign changes include melasma, pigmentary demarcation lines, secondary areola, and linea nigra as well as other less common findings. It is important for physicians to recognize these changes as physiologic to provide adequate reassurance to their patients and avoid unnecessary stress.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a scarring alopecia thatis characterized by recession of the frontotemporalhairline with the frequent loss of eyebrows. Itpredominantly affects postmenopausal womenand only rarely affects men. We report the caseof a 46-year-old man with a ten-year history of anerythematous patch with perifollicular erythemaat the superior aspect of the forehead andfrontotemporal hairline. A skin biopsy specimenshowed a perivascular, lymphocytic infiltrate withperiinfundibular fibrosis. These findings establisheda diagnosis of frontal fibrosing alopecia. Thepathogenesis of this condition is poorly understoodbut may be hormonally-mediated.

Changes in the moles of pregnant women are frequently attributed to pregnancy, but recent studies suggest that pregnancy does not induce significant physiologic changes in nevi. It is common for nevi on the breasts and abdomen to grow with normal skin expansion, but studies that have examined melanocytic nevi on the backs or lower extremities have found no significant changes in size during pregnancy. Several studies have also investigated the belief that moles darken during pregnancy and have found insufficient evidence to support this idea. Dermoscopically, transient changes have been identified, but none are suggestive of melanoma. Results vary in terms of histologic changes seen in samples taken from pregnant women, but all authors agree that any histopathologic features consistent with melanoma should be viewed as melanoma and not attributed to pregnancy. Biopsy specimens should be obtained promptly from any changing mole that would raise concern for malignancy in a nonpregnant patient. Such procedures can be performed safely during pregnancy.