No abstract

Rosacea fulminans is a rare disease with female predominance characterized by abrupt onset of pustules, papules, and confluent nodules on the face. The conventional treatment consists of systemic glucocorticoids and isotretinoin. We present the case of a 56-year-old woman with a marked facial papulopustular eruption that had followed an initial period of severe seborrhoea. Conventional treatment produced no clear improvement. Dapsone treatment achieved complete healing in 5 weeks.

This study demonstrates that, despite a significant progression-free survival advantage, the addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel is not cost effective for the cohort of patients with HER2-negative MBC included in our analysis. Such data could be informative to policymakers who consider the health economics and incremental cost-effectiveness of medical therapies.

Purpose/Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the association between pretreatment p53, hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF1a), Ki-67, carbonic anhydrase-9 (CA-9), and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression in locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated definitively with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and treatment outcomes including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), local-regional control (LC), and distant metastases–free survival (DMFS). Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight patients treated definitively and consecutively for cervical cancer with CRT had p53, HIF1a, Ki-67, CA-9, and GLUT1 protein expression assessed and scored semiquantitatively by 3 pathologists, blinded to the treatment outcomes. Outcomes were stratified by p53 (H-score: <15 vs. ≥15), HIF1a (H-score: <95 vs. ≥95), Ki-67 (labeling index <41% vs. ≥41%), CA-9 (H-score: <15 vs. ≥15), and GLUT1 (H-score: <175 vs. ≥175) expression. OS, PFS, LC, and DMFS rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between groups were evaluated by the log-rank test. Results: Notable clinical characteristics of the cohort included median age of 51 years (range: 32 to 74 y), FIGO stage IIB disease (57.2%), clinical node-negative disease (64.3%), squamous cell carcinoma (89.3%), and adenocarcinoma (10.7%). Treatment outcomes included 5-year OS (57.2%), PFS (48.1%), LC (72.1%), and DMFS (62.9%). For HIF1a H-score <95 and ≥95, the 5-year OS (52.0% and 68.4%, P=0.58), PFS (53.0% and 40.9%, P=0.75), LC (71.6% and 68.2%, P=0.92), and DMFS (59.7% and 52.0%, P=0.91) were not significantly different. For Ki-67 labeling index <41% and ≥41%, the 5-year OS (44.9% and 66.6%, P=0.35), PFS (38.9% and 55.4%, P=0.53), LC (57.7% and 85.7%, P=0.22), and DMFS (67.3% and 61.0%, P=0.94) were not significantly different. For CA-9 H-score <15 and ≥15, the 5-year OS (54.4% and 66.7%, P=0.39), PFS (57.3% and 40.0%, P=0.87), LC (70.0% and 70.0%, P=0.95), and DMFS (70.0% and 46.7%, P=0.94) were not significantly different. For GLUT1 H-score <175 and ≥175, the 5-year OS (43.6% and 43.6%, P=0.32), PFS (55.6% and 49.5%, P=0.72), LC (72.9% and 71.5%, P=0.97), and DMFS (62.5% and 59.6%, P=0.76) were not significantly different. For p53, H-score <15 and ≥15, the 5-year OS (62% and 53%), PFS (63% and 30.3%), LC (87.5% and 52%), and DMFS (79.6% and 41.6%). Conclusions: In this study population, HIF1a, Ki-67, CA-9, and GLUT1 expression did not predict treatment response or outcomes in locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated definitively with CRT. There was a nonstatistically significant trend towards worse outcomes with p53 expression.

No abstract

In childhood, aplastic anemia is a rare disease of unknown etiology. Besides toxic effects, also an infectious or an autoimmune origin are discussed. We report on an 8-year-old boy with very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA) who developed pancreatitis together with panniculitis. Initially, active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was thought to be possibly contributive. Ganciclovir was tried resulting in clearance of CMV, but VSAA persisted. Two months after the onset of VSAA, oligosymptomatic pancreatitis was observed together with the onset of severe febrile panniculitis, occurring with multiple painful enlarged subcutaneous infiltrates of up to 7 cm in diameter. Treatment according to the Severe Aplastic Anemia-94 (SAA-94) protocol consisting of glucocorticoids, cyclosporin A (CsA), anti-thymocyte globulin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was instituted. Since this treatment did not lead to remission after day 110, escalation of the CsA dose up to 8 mg/kg body weight was tried. This regimen resulted in complete recovery of panniculitis and symptoms of pancreatitis. Incomplete hematological remission was reached and, to date, the patient has not required transfusions for 6 months. Because this boy suffered simultaneously from three rare disorders, which all responded to intense immunosuppression, this observation may underline common autoimmune mechanisms of these distinct diseases.

1069 Background: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains an incurable disease despite advances in treatment modalities. In 2008, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 2100 trial (E2100) results led to FDA approval for bevacizumab with paclitaxel in the initial treatment of HER2-negative MBC. The addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel led to a gain of around 2.5 months of progression-free survival (PFS), no significant benefit on overall survival (OS), and increased toxicity. In November 2011, the FDA officially revoked approval of bevacizumab for HER2-negative MBC. However, both the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and NCCN still endorse bevacizumab for this indication. One of the greatest challenges facing healthcare worldwide is reconciling incremental clinical benefits with exponentially rising costs. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of bevacizumab with paclitaxel for HER2-negative MBC. Methods: A Markov decision tree using Data 3.5 (TreeAge Software, Inc.) was created to do decision and cost-effectiveness analyses of using bevacizumab in combination with paclitaxel versus paclitaxel alone as first-line chemotherapy in HER2-negative MBC using efficacy and toxicity data from the E2100 study. Costs were obtained from the Center for Medicare Services Drug Payment Table and Physician Fee Schedule. The model was designed from the patient and payer perspectives and sensitivity analyses were run. Results: The marginal cost between paclitaxel alone versus bevacizumab and paclitaxel was 86K with a marginal efficacy of 0.369 quality-adjusted life-years and marginal cost effectiveness of 232,720.72 USD. The expected outcome value was 1.86 for bevacizumab and paclitaxel and 1.67 for paclitaxel alone. However, the combination was not cost effective and only a marginal survival advantage that was not significant was observed. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that, despite a significant PFS advantage, the addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel is not cost-effective for patients with HER2-negative MBC. Such data could be informative to policymakers who consider the health economics and incremental cost-effectiveness of medical therapies.

The diagnosis of American cutaneous Leishmaniasis may be complicated by the relative lack of pathogens in the lesions. PCR diagnosis are very helpful here. The therapy must be systemic owing to the danger of progression to mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis. The standard therapeutic pentostam has, however, a high rate of side effects and administration is exclusively intravenous.