BACKGROUND Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is involved in skin tumorigenesis: it promotes cell viability, induces angiogenesis and stimulates invasiveness. Dobesilate is a drug that blocks the activity of FGF. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of potassium dobesilate 5% cream in the treatment of actinic keratoses. METHODS Potassium dobesilate 5% cream was appl...

Ingenol mebutate gel (Picato) for actinic keratoses.

Chronic actinic dermatitis is a chronic photosensitivity disorder characterized by severe eczematous lesions on sun-exposed skin areas. We report a case of chronic actinic dermatitis presenting with leonine facies and secondary adrenal insufficiency, which was successfully treated with topical tacrolimus. The facial lesions dramatically improved after sun avoidance and topical tacrolimus applic...

Etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor receptor p75 Fc fusion protein (TNFR:Fc; Enbrel), has preliminarily been shown to be effective in the management of methotrexate-resistant polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Reported side-effects have been minor, for example injection site reactions and upper respiratory tract infections, not necessitating discontinuation of the medication (1,...

To the Editor, Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) commonly presents as a malignancy confined to the dermis. Fewer than 10% of cases show varying degrees of epidermal involvement.1 Only a small number of cases of entirely intraepidermal ‘in situ’ MCC (MCCIS) have been reported.2– 8 All but one7 of these cases were encountered as an incidental histopathological finding in the presence of an otherwise co...