BACKGROUND:In patients with multiple primary melanomas (MPM), mean tumor thickness tends to decrease from the first melanoma to the second melanoma, and prognosis may be improved compared with the prognosis for patients who have a single primary melanoma (SPM). In this study, the authors compared the clinicopathologic features of patients with MPM and SPM to better characterize the differences between these 2 groups and to determine whether or not there is an inherent difference in tumor aggression. METHODS: In total, 788 patients with melanoma who were enrolled prospectively in the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group database from 2002 to 2008 were studied. Patients with SPM and with MPM were compared with regard to clinical and primary melanoma characteristics. RESULTS: Of 788 patients with melanoma, 61 patients (7.7%) had 2 or more primary melanomas. The incidence of developing a second primary melanoma 1 year and 5 years after initial melanoma diagnosis was 4.1% and 8.7%, respectively, and most of the risk accumulated within the first year. The incidence of MPM was greater in patients aged !60 years than in those aged 60 years. The absence or presence of mitosis and other tumor characteristics did not differ significantly between patients with SPM and patients with MPM (P ¼ .61). CONCLUSIONS: No difference was observed in the presence or absence of mitoses, a marker of tumor proliferation, in SPM and MPM. Because it has been demonstrated that the presence of mitosis is a powerful prognostic marker, the current findings suggested that the tumors behave similarly in patients with SPM and patients with MPM. The authors concluded that differences in tumor thickness and prognosis between SPM and MPM more likely are caused by factors other than tumor biology, such as increased surveillance. Cancer 2012;118:4184-92.

[reaction: see text] The unstable bacterial metabolic product, DPD, and the related natural product, laurencione, are shown to have a high affinity for borate complexation, through the hydrated analogue. The boron complex of DPD is Vibrio harveyi AI-2, an interspecies quorum sensing signal in bacteria, and an affinity column with a borate resin is effective in providing the first method for concentrating and purifying V. harveyi AI-2 from the biosynthetic product.

The development of topical drug delivery systems has recently gained significant interest due to the ease of administration and lesser risks of systemic toxicity. The development of these new technologies utilizes the properties of the structure and function of the skin. The stratum corneum plays the largest role in affecting drug permeation, as the corneocytes and lipid matrix in this layer effectively prevent the diffusion of large molecules. In this review, we introduce the structure and function of the skin as it relates to topical drug delivery.

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The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

JA Stein was supported by the Irwin I. Lubowe Fellowship in Dermatology

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