Various colour gradations as a dermatoscopic feature of cutaneous angiosarcoma of the scalp

Primary and secondary cutaneous angiosarcoma: Distinctive clinical, pathological and molecular features

Angiosarcomas are ubiquitous neoplasms involving both cutaneous and soft tissue and visceral locations. Accumulating biomolecular evidences suggest that cutaneous angiosarcomas are distinctive entities with molecular, clinical and pathological peculiarities. Despite several ongoing clinical trials with promising therapeutic agents, the prognosis of cutaneous angiosarcomas is dismal and survival still rely on early diagnosis and surgery. An accurate diagnosis and the knowledge of the underlying molecular landscape are therefore essential to improve the prognosis. We detail the molecular, clinical, dermoscopic, morphological and prognostic features of cutaneous angiosarcoma. Although the molecular landscape of cutaneous angiosarcoma is not completely understood, accumulating evidences suggest that there are characteristic molecular alterations including dysregulation of angiogenesis and several complex molecular pathways. Secondary cutaneous angiosarcomas, arising in correlation with chronic lymphedema and ionizing radiation, have different molecular hallmarks, which are also leading to the first diagnostic applications. The diagnosis of cutaneous angiosarcoma may be challenging, as well-differentiated forms can be hard to distinguish from benign and low-grade vascular neoplasms, while poorly differentiated forms can be easily confounded with other non-vascular high-grade neoplasms. An accurate and early diagnosis, which is mandatory to ensure the best survival for the patients, is mainly based on morphological hallmarks.

Dermoscopic follow-up of therapeutic response in mantle cell lymphoma with secondary involvement of the scalp

The scalp is a potential location for both benign and malignant tumors. Lymphoproliferative diseases can involve the skin as a primary or secondary manifestation. Dermoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic tool for rapid diagnosis, screening, and follow-up of the majority of skin tumors. Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a rare type of aggressive systemic lymphoma, usually occurs as a generalized lymphadenopathy, commonly with infiltration of the bone marrow, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, and Waldeyer's ring. In rare cases, it can also involve other structures, such as the lungs, central nervous system, liver, or skin. We report the case of a 74-year-old male patient suffering from MCL since 2015. Complete remission was obtained after R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) treatment. During maintenance therapy with rituximab, a solitary tumor occurred on the scalp. Dermoscopy of the lesion suggested relapse because of the presence of multiple chaotically distributed short linear vessels with multiple red dots within the hair follicles. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of MCL. After second-line therapy with rituximab and bendamustine (R-B), the tumor of the scalp completely disappeared and dermoscopy showed no abnormalities.

Dermoscopy of Melanoma and Non-melanoma Skin Cancers

Dermoscopy is a widely used non-invasive technique for diagnosing skin tumors. In melanocytic tumors, e.g., melanoma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the effectiveness of dermoscopic examination has been fully established over the past two decades. Moreover, dermoscopy has been used to diagnose non-melanocytic tumors. Here, we review novel findings from recent reports concerning dermoscopy of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers including BCC, sebaceous carcinoma, actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD), and angiosarcoma.

Dermoscopy in a lymphangiosarcoma of Stewart–Treves syndrome

Stewart–Treves syndrome is a rare invasive lymphangiosarcoma linked with chronic lymphedema after mastectomy for breast cancer. Given the aggressive nature of the tumor, preventative measures and early diagnosis are important. This case is the first dermoscopic description of the lymphangiosarcoma of Stewart–Treves syndrome; it shares similar dermoscopic findings with angiosarcoma of the scalp after irradiation, with findings of a pink-white background, white lines and a combination of red, blue and black structureless areas containing red dots and globules. The lack of conspicuous lacunae make dermoscopy useful for ruling out other differentials such as benign vascular proliferations. Color heterogeneity and vascularization in dermoscopy might inform the clinician of a high percentage of tumor cells on histology.

The use of dermatoscopy in diagnosis and therapy of nonmelanocytic skin cancer

Today, dermatoscopy is an integral part of every clinical skin examination, as it markedly enhances the early detection of melanocytic and nonmelanocytic skin cancer (NMSC) compared to naked-eye inspection. Besides its diagnostic use, this noninvasive method is increasingly important in the selection of as well as the response assessment to various therapies used for NMSC, including basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma, and also rare tumors such as Merkel cell carcinoma, angiosarcoma, or dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. Thus, dermatoscopy is a valid tool for the preoperative assessment of tumor margins in basal cell carcinoma, but also for follow-up of actinic keratoses after topical treatment. The present article presents an overview on the use of dermatoscopy in the diagnosis and therapy of various types of NMSC.

Pink lesions

Dermoscopy (dermatoscopy or surface microscopy) is an ancillary dermatologic tool that in experienced hands can improve the accuracy of diagnosis of a variety of benign and malignant pigmented skin tumors. The early and more accurate diagnosis of nonpigmented, or pink, tumors can also be assisted by dermoscopy. This review focuses on the dermoscopic diagnosis of pink lesions, with emphasis on blood vessel morphology and pattern. A 3-step algorithm is presented, which facilitates the timely and more accurate diagnosis of pink tumors and subsequently guides the management for such lesions.