The current rate of 4.1% is at the lower end of the range of reported incidence for musculoskeletal oncology patients. Furthermore, VTE did not occur only in patients with hip/thigh sarcomas, as previously reported by some. The trend for reduced incidence with chemoprophylaxis favors prophylactic measures but requires further substantiation in larger studies.
Psoriasis vulgaris is an extremely common immune-mediated inflammatory disease that affects about 0.6% to 4.8% of the general population worldwide. As reported by several surveys, the most common anatomic location affected by psoriasis is the scalp. The clinical presentation varies from mild to severe and typically presents with asymmetric, sharply demarcated, silvery white erythematous scaly plaques that are often pruritic. Additionally, serious psychosocial consequences are often experienced by patients with scalp psoriasis. Despite the fact that scalp disease is so frequent and debilitating, it remains particularly difficult to treat because of the lack of patient compliance and a paucity of evidence-based data to help guide treatment. In 2009, however, the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation created an algorithm to facilitate the treatment of scalp psoriasis. In this case review, we describe a scenario in which this algorithm was used successfully. Our patient suffered from psoriasis limited to the scalp for almost 14 years. After several first- and second-line therapies failed, this patient was treated successfully 4 years ago and currently remains in remission after therapy with the ultraviolet B narrowband (308 nm) excimer laser. Therefore, for patients with recalcitrant plaques limited to the scalp, the excimer laser should be considered as a third-line therapy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.