Oberflächliche Venenthrombose der Beinvenen – Eine systematische Übersicht – Teil 1: Definition, Ätiologie, Diagnostik

Einleitung Die oberflächliche Venenthrombose (OVT) der Beinvenen ist mit einer Inzidenz von 0,5–1/1000 Einwohner/Jahr ein häufiges und mit einer Frequenz assoziierter thromboembolischer Ereignisse in bis zu 25 % der Fälle ein ernst zu nehmendes Krankheitsbild. In der vorliegenden Übersichtsarbeit sollen alle relevanten Aspekte der OVT basierend auf der aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Literatur behandelt werden.

Methoden Die systematische Übersicht umfasst das Wissen über die OVT basierend auf dem gesamten, systemisch recherchierten Erkenntnismaterial in den Datenbanken PubMed und Google Scholar. Eine Literaturrecherche in PubMed von Publikationen (1968–2018) mit den Suchbegriffen „Superficial vein thrombosis; thrombophlebitis“ ergab 102 aussagekräftige Arbeiten, die nach Vorlage der Originalarbeit ausgewertet wurden. Teil 1 der Arbeit behandelt Aspekte zur Definition, Klassifikation, Ätiologie und Diagnostik.

Ergebnisse Die OVT manifestiert sich klinisch neben den typischen Entzündungszeichen als strangförmige Induration, die Ausdruck eines thrombotischen Verschlusses epifaszialer Venen ist. Ätiologisch bedeutsam ist das Vorhandensein von Varikose (68 % der Fälle), Adipositas (23 %), Gerinnungsstörungen (18 %) und Tumorleiden (8 %). Das Durchschnittsalter der Betroffenen beträgt 62 Jahre, in 60 % der Fälle sind Frauen betroffen. Zunehmendes Lebensalter ist ein relevanter Risikofaktor. Diagnostisch ist es wichtig, das genaue Ausmaß der OVT zu beschreiben, insbesondere die Thrombuslänge und die Entfernung zum tiefen Venensystem. Dies, einschließlich der Beurteilung des tiefen Beinvenensystems, sollte bei jedem Patienten mit möglicher OVT zeitnah mittels Ultraschalldiagnostik erfolgen. Eine hier vorgeschlagene Klassifikation von 4 Ausprägungsgraden der OVT kann die Zuordnung zur aktuell empfohlenen Therapie erleichtern.

Schlussfolgerung Aufgrund der Häufigkeit und des Risikos potenziell lebensbedrohender Komplikationen sollte der OVT der Beinvenen eine größere Beachtung zukommen, insbesondere mit Blick auf eine spezialisierte Diagnostik durch Phlebologen.

Comparison of endovascular strategy versus hybrid procedure in treatment of chronic venous obstructions involving the confluence of common femoral vein

OBJECTIVE

Treatment of extensive chronic venous obstruction (CVO) with post-thrombotic trabeculation involving the common femoral vein with extension into the femoral vein or deep femoral vein remains a challenge and the best treatment technique for such cases is not clear. In the present study, we compared the results of endovascular alone vs endovascular with additional endophlebectomy (hybrid) procedures for such patients.

METHODS

The medical records of 102 consecutive patients (108 limbs) treated between 2015 and 2020 for iliofemoral CVO extending to the femoral confluence were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: the hybrid procedure (HP) and endovascular treatment (EN) groups. The HP group consisted of those treated with stent implantation and endophlebectomy of the common femoral vein with creation of an arteriovenous fistula. The EN group included those who had undergone stent implantation alone. The patency rates, complications, and clinical outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 102 patients, 47 (49 limbs) were in the EN group and 55 (59 limbs) were in the HP group. The demographics of the two groups were similar with no statistically significant differences in cumulative primary, assisted primary, or secondary patency rates at 36 months (33.7% vs 36.3%, P = .839; 59.8% vs 64%, P = .941; 69% vs 72.7%, P = .851; respectively). The patients in the EN group, however, had better clinical improvement with a lower postoperative complication rate (P = .012), shorter procedure duration (P < .001), and shorter hospital stay (P = .025).

CONCLUSIONS

The EN and HP both provided similar patency rates for patients with CVO extending into the femoral confluence. The endovascular strategy has the benefit of fewer postoperative complications and a shorter procedure duration and hospital stay compared with the HP.

Oberflächliche Venenthrombose der Beinvenen – Eine systematische Übersicht – Teil 2: Therapie

Einleitung Die oberflächliche Venenthrombose (OVT) der Beinvenen ist mit einer Inzidenz von 0,5–1/1000 Einwohner/Jahr ein häufiges und mit einer Frequenz assoziierter thromboembolischer Ereignisse in bis zu 25 % der Fälle ein ernst zu nehmendes Krankheitsbild. In der vorliegenden Übersichtsarbeit sollen alle relevanten Aspekte der OVT basierend auf der aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Literatur behandelt werden.

Methoden Die systematische Übersicht umfasst das Wissen über die OVT basierend auf dem gesamten, systemisch recherchierten Erkenntnismaterial in den Datenbanken PubMed und Google Scholar. Eine Literaturrecherche in PubMed von Publikationen (1968–2018) mit den Suchbegriffen „Superficial vein thrombosis; thrombophlebitis“ ergab 102 aussagekräftige Arbeiten, die nach Vorlage der Originalarbeit ausgewertet wurden. Teil 2 der Arbeit behandelt Aspekte zur Therapie.

Ergebnisse Die Bewertungskriterien der Therapie der OVT sind in den einzelnen Leitlinien und Übersichtsarbeiten z. T. unterschied­lich. Andererseits ist in den letzten Jahren eine zunehmende Stringenz in den Therapieempfehlungen festzustellen, die vom Ausprägungsgrad der OVT abhängig sind. Zu deren Prinzipien gehören die Mobilisation des Patienten und das Tragen eines medizinischen Kompressionsstrumpfes der Kompressionsklasse II. Die medikamentöse Therapie umfasst den Einsatz von Fondaparinux oder niedermolekularen Heparinen. Fondaparinux ist derzeit das einzig zugelassene Medikament für diese Indikation ab einer Thrombusausdehnung von mindestens 5 cm. Rivaroxaban in einer Tagesdosis von 10 mg war gegenüber Fondaparinux in einer randomisierten Studie nicht unterlegen; dies führte jedoch nicht zu einer Zulassung für die Indikation der OVT. Eine therapeutische Antikoagulation hingegen wird empfohlen, sobald sich das proximale Thrombusende 3 cm oder näher zum Übergang in das tiefe Venensystem befindet. Nichtsteroidale Antirheumatika reduzieren das Risiko einer OVT-Extension oder eines Rezidivs und wirken schmerzlindernd. Die Therapie mit Externa bietet nur lokale symptomlindernde Effekte. Eine operative Therapie der OVT kann in bestimmten Situationen erwogen werden, um Varizen, Schmerzen und das Risiko einer Thrombusaszension in einem Behandlungsschritt zu beseitigen.

Schlussfolgerung Aufgrund der Häufigkeit und des Risikos potenziell lebensbedrohender Komplikationen sollte der OVT der Beinvenen eine größere Beachtung zukommen, insbesondere mit Blick auf eine auf den individuellen Befund ausgerichtete Stadien-adaptierte Therapie.

Offene Varizenchirurgie – wann ambulant, wann stationär?

Hintergrund Die offene Varizenchirurgie kann sowohl in einem ambulanten als auch in einem stationären Setting durchgeführt werden. Aktuelle Leitlinien zur Therapie der Varikose nehmen zu der Frage, welche Patienten ambulant und welche stationäre zu operieren sind, nicht Stellung.

Fragestellung Erarbeitung von Kriterienkatalogen zur Frage einer ambulanten oder stationären Varizenoperation.

Material und Methode PubMed-Recherche zur Fragestellung und basierend auf den Literaturdaten Erarbeitung eines Delphi-Konsensus der Autoren.

Ergebnisse Zur Frage, ob eine Varizenchirurgie ambulant oder stationär durchgeführt werden kann, existieren lediglich 2 monozentrische retrospektive Analysen sowie eine Registerstudie. In diesen Studien werden ambulante Operationen im Wesentlichen bei Patienten mit Normalgewicht und ASA-Stadium 1 durchgeführt. Gut geeignete Lokalbefunde für eine ambulante Operation sind Primäreingriffe und ein geringeres C-Stadium der CEAP-Klassifikation. Für eine stationäre Varizenoperation sprechen ausgedehnte Befunde, bei denen mehr als eine Crosse saniert werden muss, Rezidiveingriffe in der Leiste oder der Kniekehle, vorangegangene thromboembolische Ereignisse, eine erhöhte Blutungsneigung aufgrund monströser Varizen oder einer Antikoagulation, Hautkomplikationen wie ein Ulcus cruris oder eine schwere Stauungsdermatitis bzw. Dermatosklerose sowie ein BMI über 30 bei Crossektomie.

Schlussfolgerungen Basierend auf Literaturdaten und Expertenmeinungen konnten Kriterienkataloge für eine ambulante versus stationäre offene Varizenchirurgie erarbeitet werden.

Therapie des inguinalen Crossenrezidivs: Ist die offene Re-Crossektomie noch zeitgemäß?

Einleitung Die Rezidivvarikose ist trotz der Entwicklung neuer Verfahren und Operationsstrategien ein relevantes medizinisches Problem. Zur Therapie inguinaler Crossenrezidive (ICR) steht die offene Re-Crossektomie zur Verfügung, die derzeit gegenüber weniger invasiven Verfahren in den Hintergrund tritt.

Methoden Diese Übersichtsarbeit basiert auf aktuell verfügbaren Leitlinien und einer Literaturrecherche bei PubMed zur Frage des Einsatzes und der Effektivität verschiedener Verfahren zur Therapie des ICR.

Ergebnisse Inguinale Re-Crossektomie und Schaumsklerosierung sind uneingeschränkt anwendbar. Die Operation, sofern mit Barrieretechnik kombiniert, scheint langfristig effektiver als die Verödung und ist mit einer hohen Patientenzufriedenheit verbunden. Endovenös thermische Ablationsverfahren können für individuelle Fälle mit geeignetem anatomischem Befund eingesetzt werden. Vergleichende Studien fehlen.

Schlussfolgerung Die offene Re-Crossektomie ist zeitgemäß. Ob der Vorteil der potentiell höheren Effektivität bei der Operation stärker wiegt als die geringere Invasivität der Schaumsklerosierung verbunden mit häufigeren Therapiesitzungen müsste mittels randomisierter kontrollierter Studien geklärt werden.

Möglichkeiten zur Rezidivprophylaxe in der Varizenchirurgie

Die hohe Crossenrezidivquote in der Varizenchirurgie führt zur Verpflichtung, Maßnahmen zur Rezidivprophylaxe einzusetzen.

Durch diverse Barrieretechniken an der Crosse lässt sich die Refluxquote auf Werte zwischen 1,5 und 3 % nach 2–5 Jahren bei einer Erstoperation reduzieren. Die einfachsten Techniken stellen die Elektrokoagulation des Crossenstumpfendothels mit Naht der Lamina cribrosa sowie die extensive Crossektomie mit Stumpfübernaht dar. Dennoch kann das Crossenrezidiv nicht völlig vermieden werden. Die Remodelling Hypothese zur Genese der Varikosis, welche mit chronisch inflammatorischen Prozessen einhergeht sowie die weiteren Faktoren, welche mit einem Crossenrezidiv assoziiert sind, spielen hier eine bedeutsame Rolle. Es sollten somit zusätzlich zu den Barrieretechniken auch nicht operative, antiinflammatorisch wirksame Maßnahmen in das Behandlungsspektrum aufgenommen werden: Venenbewusste Lebensführung mit Kompressionsstrümpfen, Vermeiden von langem Sitzen und Stehen, Ausdauerbewegungen und bei Übergewicht Reduzierung des viszeralen Fettgewebes. Studien zu dieser nicht operativen Form der Crossenrezidivprophylaxe fehlen jedoch.

Chemosensitivity-directed therapy compared to dacarbazine in chemo-naive advanced metastatic melanoma: a multicenter randomized phase-3 DeCOG trial

Chemotherapy still plays an important role in metastatic melanoma, particularly for patients who are not suitable or have no access to highly efficacious new therapies. Pre-therapeutic chemosensitivity testing might be useful to identify optimal chemotherapy regimens for individual patients. This multicenter randomized phase-3 trial was aimed to test for superiority of chemosensitivity-directed combination chemotherapy compared to standard dacarbazine monochemotherapy, and to demonstrate the chemosensitivity test result as prognostic in metastatic melanoma. Chemo-naive patients with advanced melanoma were biopsied from metastatic lesions. Tumor cells were isolated and tested ex-vivo for sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents using an ATP-based viability assay. Patients with evaluable test results were randomly assigned to receive either chemosensitivity-directed combination chemotherapy (paclitaxel+cisplatin, treosulfan+gemcitabine, treosulfan+cytarabine), or dacarbazine. The primary study endpoint was overall survival (OS). After inclusion of 287 patients and a median follow-up of 26 months, the per-protocol population (n=244) showed no difference in OS between chemosensitivity-directed therapy and dacarbazine (median 9.2 vs 9.0 months, HR=1.08, p=0.64). The disease control rate (CR+PR+SD) tended to be higher in patients treated with chemosensitivity-directed therapy (32.8% vs 23.0%, p=0.088); objective response rates (CR+PR) showed no difference between groups (10.7% vs 12.3%, p=0.90). Patients whose tumors were tested chemosensitive showed no better OS or response rate than patients with chemoresistant tumors. Severe toxicities (CTC grade 3-4) were significantly more frequently observed with chemosensitivity-directed combination chemotherapy than with dacarbazine (40.2% vs 12.3%, p<0.0001). These results indicate, that chemosensitivity-directed combination chemotherapy is not superior to dacarbazine, but leads to significantly more severe toxicities.

Same Site Recurrence is More Frequent After Endovenous Laser Ablation Compared with High Ligation and Stripping of the Great Saphenous Vein: 5 year Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial (RELACS Study)

OBJECTIVE

To compare the long-term clinical efficacy of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) with high ligation and stripping (HLS) as standard treatment for great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence.

DESIGN

Investigator initiated two centre randomized controlled trial with 5 year follow up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Interventions were performed on ambulatory and hospitalized patients at two vein centres, a university dermatology department (EVLA) and a specialized vein clinic (HLS). Four hundred patients suffering from GSV incompetence were assigned to EVLA or HLS of the GSV. One hundred and eighty five and 161 patients (=limbs), respectively, were treated per protocol. Main outcome measures were clinically recurrent varicose veins after surgery (REVAS classification, primary study objective), Duplex detected saphenofemoral recurrence, clinical venous severity scoring (Homburg Varicose Vein Severity Score), quality of life (Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire 2), side effects, and patient satisfaction 5 years after treatment.

RESULTS

Two hundred and eighty one legs (81% of the study population) were evaluated with a median follow up of 60.4 (EVLA) and 60.7 months (HLS). Overall, REVAS was similarly observed in both groups: 45% (EVLA) and 54% (HLS), p = .152. Patients of the EVLA group showed significantly more clinical recurrences in the operated region (REVAS: same site): 18% vs. 5%, p = .002. In contrast, more different site recurrences were observed in the HLS group: 50% vs. 31%, p = .002. Duplex detected saphenofemoral refluxes occurred more frequently after EVLA: 28% vs. 5%, p < .001. Both treatments improved disease severity and quality of life without any difference.

CONCLUSIONS

EVLA and HLS are comparably effective concerning overall REVAS, improvement of disease severity, and quality of life. In terms of same site clinical recurrence and saphenofemoral refluxes, HLS is superior to EVLA 5 years after treatment.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN18322872.

Ultraviolet damage, DNA repair and vitamin D in nonmelanoma skin cancer and in malignant melanoma: an update

Skin exposure with UV radiation (UV) is the main cause of skin cancer development. Epidemiological data indicate that excessive or cumulative UV exposure takes place years and decades before the resulting malignancies arise. The most important defense mechanisms that protect human skin against UV radiation involve melanin synthesis and active repair mechanisms. DNA is the major target of direct or indirect UV-induced cellular damage. Low pigmentation capacity in white Caucasians and rare congenital defects in DNA repair are mainly responsible for protection failures. The important function of nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER) to protect against skin cancer becomes obvious by the rare genetic disease xeroderma pigmentosum, in which diverse NER genes are mutated. In animal models, it has been demonstrated that UVB is more effective to induce skin cancer than UVA. UV-induced DNA photoproducts are able to cause specific mutations (UV-signature) in susceptible genes for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). In SCC development, UV-signature mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are the most common event, as precancerous lesions reveal -80% and SCCs > 90% UV-specific p53 mutations. Mutations in Hedgehog pathway related genes, especially PTCH1, are well known to represent the most significant pathogenic event in BCC. However, specific UV-induced mutations can be found only in -50% of sporadic BCCs. Thus, cumulative UVB radiation cannot be considered to represent the only etiologic risk factor for BCC development. During the last decades, experimental animal models, including genetically engineered mice, the Xiphophorus hybrid fish, the South American oppossum and human skin xenografts, have further elucidated the important role of the DNA repair system in the multi-step process of UV-induced melanomagenesis. An increasing body of evidence now indicates that nucleotide excision repair is not the only DNA repair pathway that is involved in UV-induced tumorigenesis of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. An interesting new perspective in DNA damage and repair research lies in the participation of mammalian mismatch repair (MMR) in UV damage correction. As MMR enzyme hMSH2 displays a p53 target gene, is induced by UVB radiation and is involved in NER pathways, studies have now been initiated to elucidate the physiological and pathophysiological role of MMR in malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer development. Interestingly, increasing evidence now demonstrates an important function of the vitamin D endocrine system (VDES) for prevention of BCC, SCC and melanoma, identifying the vitamin D receptor as a tumor suppressor in the skin.

Graft-versus-host disease or toxic epidermal necrolysis: diagnostic dilemma after liver transplantation

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare and severe complications after liver transplantation. While mild acute GvHD is quite different from TEN and easy to distinguish, severe acute GvHD and TEN can be hard to differentiate because of similar clinical symptoms. We herein report a case with rapid progression of critical illness, after liver transplantation, caused by GvHD or TEN, although between those, diagnosis was not possible during the clinical course. Although, based on the timing/progression of the symptoms and the chimerism of >40%, the case seemed much more clinically consistent with GVHD, the combination of clinical symptoms together with skin rashes and the histologic appearance of skin lesions indicated diagnosis of a Stevens-Johnson syndrome/TEN overlap. The true diagnostic dilemma in such cases is discussed in detail, as these cases emphasize the need for more advanced diagnostic techniques.

Reciprocal responses of fibroblasts and melanocytes to α-MSH depending on MC1R polymorphisms

The melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R) exhibits several variants in form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are known to differentially regulate melanocyte function. However, whether and how MC1R polymorphisms also affect fibroblast function has not been investigated so far.Therefore we measured intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations and cellular proliferation upon stimulation with alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) in eight different human fibroblast and melanocyte cell lines with wild type and different MC1R SNPs.We found that fibroblasts, as well as melanocytes, show differences in MC1R function depending on the MC1R genotype. MC1R stimulation with α-MSH in wild type (MC1R(wt)) melanocytes results in an increase of intracellular cAMP and cellular proliferation. In contrast, MC1R(wt) fibroblasts react with a decrease of intracellular cAMP and proliferation. In MC1R polymorphic fibroblasts (R163Q, R151C and V60L) both effects are significantly alleviated. Similar, but inverse effects could be found in MC1R polymorphic melanocytes (R142H and V92M) with a significantly lower cAMP increase and proliferation rate compared to MC1R(wt) melanocytes.Our results indicate that the MC1R displays reciprocal growth responses in melanocytes and fibroblasts, depending on the MC1R genotype. Thus, the MC1R seems to be not solely important for the skin pigmentary system, but also for the fibroblast function, and might influence different processes of the dermal compartment like wound healing, fibrosis and keloid formation.

Comparable effectiveness of endovenous laser ablation and high ligation with stripping of the great saphenous vein: two-year results of a randomized clinical trial (RELACS study)

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) with high ligation and stripping (HLS) as standard treatment for great saphenous vein (GSV) insufficiency.

DESIGN

Two-center randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up.

SETTING

Interventions were performed on ambulatory and hospitalized patients at 2 vein centers, a university dermatology department (EVLT-treated group), and a specialized vein clinic (HLS-treated group).

PATIENTS

Random sample of 400 patients with GSV insufficiency.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were assigned (1:1) to EVLT or HLS of the GSV from September 2004 through March 2007; 185 and 161 patients (limbs), respectively, were treated per protocol.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Clinically recurrent varicose veins after surgery (REVAS classification, primary study objective), duplex-detected saphenofemoral recurrence, clinical venous severity scoring (Homburg Varicose Vein Severity Score), hemodynamics (venous refilling time), quality of life (Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire 2), adverse effects, and visual analog scale-based evaluations of patients' satisfaction.

RESULTS

Clinically recurrent varicose veins after surgery were similarly observed in both groups: 16.2% (EVLT-treated group) vs 23.1% (HLS-treated group); P = .15. Duplex-detected saphenofemoral refluxes occurred significantly more frequently after EVLT (17.8% vs 1.3%; P < .001). Both treatments equally improved medical condition (Homburg Varicose Vein Severity Score) and disease-related quality of life. Endovenous laser treatment caused more adverse effects (phlebitic reaction, tightness, dyspigmentation) but revealed advantages concerning hemodynamics, recovery, and cosmetic outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Both EVLT and HLS are comparably safe and effective procedures to treat GSV incompetence. The significantly higher rate and the course of duplex-detected saphenofemoral recurrences after EVLT remain a matter of further investigations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN18322872.

Sorafenib and pegylated interferon-α2b in advanced metastatic melanoma: a multicenter phase II DeCOG trial

BACKGROUND

The combination of sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, and pegylated interferon-α2b (Peg-IFN-α2b) could potentially lead to an improved antitumoral response. Previously, combinations of interferon and sorafenib have been used in renal cell cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma and no previous systemic therapies apart from adjuvant immunotherapy received Peg-IFN-α2b 3 μg/kg once per week, and sorafenib 400-mg b.i.d. for a minimum of 8 weeks. The primary study end point was disease control rate (DCR).

RESULTS

Between February 2008 and February 2009, 55 patients were enrolled with a median age of 64 years (20-85). At 8 weeks, 2 patients (3.6%) had a partial response (PR) and 14 patients a stable disease (25.5%), for a DCR of 29.1% in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. The median progression-free survival in the ITT population was 2.47 months (95% confidence interval 1.22-3.72 months). The toxicity of sorafenib and Peg-IFN-α2b combination was characterized by mainly hematological side-effects, including one treatment-related bleeding complication with a fatal outcome. Other grade 3/4 toxic effects were fatigue and flu-like symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The combination of sorafenib and Peg-IFN-α2b showed modest clinical activity and some serious side-effects including fatal bleeding complications.

Venoarterial flow index steadily improves after endovenous laser treatment of the great saphenous vein

BACKGROUND

Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) is a minimally invasive procedure to ablate varicose veins. The venous arterial flow index (VAFI) represents a quantitative duplex ultrasound parameter to characterize venous hemodynamics, which has not been investigated in EVLT so far.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the hemodynamic improvement of EVLT of the great saphenous vein (GSV) according to VAFI measurement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred thirty-three participants with complete GSV insufficiency were treated with 810-nm EVLT. VAFI as a ratio of venous and arterial flow volumes of the common femoral vessels and digital photoplethysmography (DPPG) were assessed before and 3 (n=129) and 12 months (n=71) after EVLT.

RESULTS

EVLT was performed with an energy fluence of 22.5 J/cm², resulting in an occlusion rate of 98.4%. Duplex recurrence rates were 9.4% at 3-month and 15.5% at 12-month follow-up. VAFI significantly improved from 1.395 to 1.242 and 1.167 (p<.001) 3 and 12 months after EVLT. Venous refilling time (DPPG) accordingly increased from 20.0 to 36.9 seconds (p<.001) 3 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

EVLT improves hemodynamic alterations in people with incompetent GSVs as demonstrated using VAFI and DPPG. VAFI might be a suitable diagnostic tool to quantify venous hemodynamics in people with varicose veins. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

MGMT gene promoter methylation correlates with tolerance of temozolomide treatment in melanoma but not with clinical outcome

Background:

Despite limited clinical efficacy, treatment with dacarbazine or temozolomide (TMZ) remains the standard therapy for metastatic melanoma. In glioblastoma, promoter methylation of the counteracting DNA repair enzyme O⁶-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) correlates with survival of patients exposed to TMZ in combination with radiotherapy. For melanoma, data are limited and controversial.

Methods:

Biopsy samples from 122 patients with metastatic melanoma being treated with TMZ in two multicenter studies of the Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group were investigated for MGMT promoter methylation. We used the COBRA (combined bisulphite restriction analysis) technique to determine aberrant methylation of CpG islands in small amounts of genomic DNA isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue sections. To detect aberrant methylation, bisulphite-treated DNA was amplified by PCR, enzyme restricted, and visualised by gel electrophoresis.

Results:

Correlation with clinical data from 117 evaluable patients in a best-response evaluation indicated no statistically significant association between MGMT promoter methylation status and response. A methylated MGMT promoter was observed in 34.8% of responders and 23.4% of non-responders (P=0.29). In addition, no survival advantage for patients with a methylated MGMT promoter was detectable (P=0.79). Interestingly, we found a significant correlation between MGMT methylation and tolerance of therapy. Patients with a methylated MGMT promoter had more severe adverse events, requiring more TMZ dose reductions or discontinuations (P=0.007; OR 2.7 (95% CI: 1.32–5.7)). Analysis of MGMT promoter methylation comparing primaries and different metastases over the clinical course revealed no statistical difference (P=0.49).

Conclusions:

In advanced melanoma MGMT promoter, methylation correlates with tolerance of therapy, but not with clinical outcome.

High-throughput miRNA profiling of human melanoma blood samples

Background

MicroRNA (miRNA) signatures are not only found in cancer tissue but also in blood of cancer patients. Specifically, miRNA detection in blood offers the prospect of a non-invasive analysis tool.

Methods

Using a microarray based approach we screened almost 900 human miRNAs to detect miRNAs that are deregulated in their expression in blood cells of melanoma patients. We analyzed 55 blood samples, including 20 samples of healthy individuals, 24 samples of melanoma patients as test set, and 11 samples of melanoma patients as independent validation set.

Results

A hypothesis test based approch detected 51 differentially regulated miRNAs, including 21 miRNAs that were downregulated in blood cells of melanoma patients and 30 miRNAs that were upregulated in blood cells of melanoma patients as compared to blood cells of healthy controls. The tets set and the independent validation set of the melanoma samples showed a high correlation of fold changes (0.81). Applying hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis we found that blood samples of melanoma patients and healthy individuals can be well differentiated from each other based on miRNA expression analysis. Using a subset of 16 significant deregulated miRNAs, we were able to reach a classification accuracy of 97.4%, a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 98.9% by supervised analysis. MiRNA microarray data were validated by qRT-PCR.

Conclusions

Our study provides strong evidence for miRNA expression signatures of blood cells as useful biomarkers for melanoma.

Efficacy of Low-Dose Interferon α2a 18 Versus 60 Months of Treatment in Patients With Primary Melanoma of ≥ 1.5 mm Tumor Thickness: Results of a Randomized Phase III DeCOG Trial

Purpose

Low-dose (LD) interferon (IFN) alfa (LDI) has demonstrated a consistent disease-free survival benefit for patients with clinically lymph node–negative melanoma in clinical trials. However, the optimal duration of treatment is still under discussion, and no previous trial has evaluated this question specifically. A prolongation of LDI from 18 months to 60 months might be of clinical benefit for patients with intermediate or high-risk melanoma.

Patients and Methods

Eight hundred fifty patients with resected cutaneous melanoma of at least 1.5 mm tumor thickness were included in this prospective randomized, multicenter trial in Germany and Austria. Patients had to be clinically lymph node–negative, and sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) was performed in a majority of cases. They were randomly assigned to receive 3 MU IFNα2a three times a week subcutaneously for either 18 months (arm A) or 60 months (arm B).

Results

Of 850 randomly assigned patients, 840 were eligible for evaluation after a median follow-up of 4.3 years. Tumor thickness and other relevant prognostic factors were well balanced between both groups. SLNB was performed in 635 patients (75.6%), with a positivity rate of 18.0% in arm A and 17.5% in arm B. Neither relapse-free survival (arm A, 75.6% v arm B, 72.6%; P = .72; hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.39) nor distant-metastasis–free survival (81.9% v 79.7%; P = .56; HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.52) or overall survival (85.9% v 84.9%; P = .86; HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.50) showed significant differences.

Conclusion

A prolongation of conventional LDI therapy from 18 to 60 months showed no clinical benefit in patients with intermediate and high-risk primary melanoma.

Prospective Randomized Multicenter Adjuvant Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group Trial of Low-Dose Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without a Modified High-Dose Interferon Alfa-2b Induction Phase in Patients With Lymph Node–Negative Melanoma

Purpose

Interferon alfa (IFN-α) has shown clinical efficacy in the adjuvant treatment of patients with high-risk melanoma in several clinical trials, but optimal dosing and duration of treatment are still under discussion. It has been argued that in high-dose IFN-α (HDI), the intravenous (IV) induction phase might be critical for the clinical benefit of the regimen.

Patients and Methods

In an attempt to investigate the potential role of a modified high-dose induction phase, lymph node–negative patients with resected primary malignant melanoma of more than 1.5-mm tumor thickness were included in this prospective randomized multicenter Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group trial. Six hundred seventy-four patients were randomly assigned to receive 4 weeks of a modified HDI scheme. This schedule consisted of 5 times weekly 10 MU/m2IFN-α-2b IV for 2 weeks and 5 times weekly 10 MU/m2IFN-α-2b administered subcutaneously (SC) for another 2 weeks followed by 23 months of low-dose IFN-α-2b (LDI) 3 MU SC three times a week (arm A). LDI 3 MU three times a week was given for 24 months in arm B.

Results

Of 650 assessable patients, there were 92 relapses among the 321 patients receiving high-dose induction as compared with 95 relapses among the 329 patients receiving LDI only. Five-year relapse-free survival rates were 68.0% (arm A) and 67.1% (arm B), respectively. Likewise, melanoma-related fatalities were similar between both groups, resulting in 5-year overall survival rates of 80.2% (arm A) and 82.9% (arm B).

Conclusion

The addition of a 4-week modified HDI induction phase to a 2-year low-dose adjuvant IFN-α-2b treatment schedule did not improve the clinical outcome.

Quality-of-life (QoL) impairment in melanoma patients receiving high-dose interferon alpha 2b (IFNa2b)

e20011

Background: High-dose interferon (HDI) for patients with malignant melanoma (MM) has consistently demonstrated benefits as an adjuvant treatment. Side effects and impairment of QoL have played a major role in patients motivation to continue treatment. The adjuvant, randomized, controlled phase III DeCOG MM-ADJ-5 trial evaluates QoL and tolerability of pulsed high-dose intravenous (iv) IFNα2b compared to standard HDI regimen. In the pulsed arm, 3 courses of IFNα2b, 20 Mio IU/m2 iv 5 days a wk for 4 wks, repeated every 4 months was administered, whereas the subcutaneous (sc) treatment was 10 Mio IU/m2 3 times a wk for 11 months, after 4 wks of iv therapy. As a secondary endpoint, health related QoL was evaluated during iv and sc treatment and during treatment free intervals. Methods: 631 patients have been recruited for an expected 300 events (distant metastasis) during 4 years of follow-up. A planned interim analysis was performed after a third of the expected events occurred. The EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire modified for typical IFN side effects, was administered to pts before therapy, at 4, 16, 24, and 40 wks of treatment. Global QoL questions were completed by pts weekly by a visual analogue scale over the entire year of treatment. Results: Out of 377 patients having completed treatment, 300 were evaluable for QoL analysis. The iv HDI treatment led to a globally decreased QoL score in 84% of patients. During the 4 wk course of iv IFN, impairment of QoL was mainly due to physical symptoms. During the sc treatment phase, global QoL remained reduced by an average of 24%, despite dose adjustments in a majority of patients. Analysis of particular dimensions of decreased QoL revealed that fatigue was the most important determinant, especially during continuous treatment. In contrast, depression only played a minor role, being less important than physical and cognitive impairment. Conclusions: QoL impairment caused by long term sc HDI is mostly mediated by chronic fatigue, and more likely to interfere with treatment adherence than short term iv HDI treatment.

[Table: see text]

Chemotherapeutics, chemoresistance and the management of melanoma

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with a continuously growing incidence worldwide. Survival mainly depends on primary tumor thickness, ulceration and sentinel node status at the time of diagnosis. Adjuvant therapies with interferons are able to prolong the recurrence-free survival, but the effects on overall survival are limited. Once, melanoma has metastasized to distant sites, the prognosis is fatal with median survival times between 7 and 9 months. Albeit removal of localized distant metastases is currently the most effective approach in metastatic melanoma in particular cases, chemo- and chemoimmunotherapy has to be regarded as standard treatment in the majority of patients. However, all available cytotoxic drugs and combinations applied so far have only a small impact on overall survival, if any. A fundamental cause of the limited efficacy of chemotherapy in advanced melanoma has to be seen in chemoresistance mechanisms. In melanoma, the intrinsic and mainly anti-apoptotic resistance, due to the physiological role of the UV exposed melanocytes, is prevailing. Further resistance mechanisms discussed in melanoma are DNA repair, multidrug transporter and the existence of cancer stem cells. Promising therapeutic options accrue from the growing insights into signaling pathways of melanoma that cause chemo- and apoptosis-resistance. The development of drugs targeting those mechanisms and their administration in combination with chemotherapy is currently one of the fascinating novel treatment approaches in melanoma.

[Systemic treatment of melanoma. Current clinical trials]

Malignant melanoma is one of the most common cancers accounting for 4-5% of all human malignancies and steadily increasing in incidence. The medical management of melanoma patients in Germany can be regarded as largely standardized based upon interdisciplinary guide lines. The results of adjuvant and especially palliative treatment of melanoma are unsatisfactory. Thus there is an urgent need for controlled clinical trials in order to optimize standard treatment approaches and to evaluate new drugs. The treatment of patients affected with high risk or metastatic melanoma within those clinical trials should be standard of care. This overview delineates the most important clinical trials currently conducted or planned in the adjuvant and palliative setting of melanoma treatment.

[Experimental treatment of malignant melanoma and its rationale]

To treat malignant melanoma successfully currently means to recognize the tumor at an early stage and to remove it immediately. Aside from individual cases, available treatment modalities are not able to increase survival, especially in the palliative situation. Thus innovative experimental approaches are urgently needed to strongly improve the palliative and adjuvant treatment of melanoma. Anti-tumor effects are expected from targeted therapies, which are directed against defined molecules decisive for tumor pathogenesis. Crucial points of attack are signaling pathways, angiogenesis and apoptosis resistance. New diagnostic and therapeutic developments have enhanced the efficacy of chemotherapies. Increasing insights into tumor immunology provide new treatment approaches of vaccination, cell transfer and especially of blocking immune tolerance mechanisms. It will be challenging for the future to identify and characterize more precisely those patients who might most benefit from a certain treatment approach.

Treatment of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer

The incidence of skin cancer is increasing in Caucasian populations worldwide. Treatment approaches for Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are predominantly curative and surgery can be regarded as standard of care. Nevertheless, novel and less invasive topical therapy modalities like photodynamic therapy or local immune modifiers are in progress. In contrast to NMSC, the mortality of melanoma has not changed considerably over the last years and decades. Melanoma survival mainly depends on primary tumor thickness underlining the importance of primary and secondary prevention by avoidance or early detection of the disease. The chance to cure melanoma patients is steadily decreasing with tumor stage. As the prognosis in distant metastatic disease is still poor, except for single situations therapy approaches are palliative and accompanied by an optimal supportive care of the patients concerned. Albeit removal of localized metastases is currently the most effective approach in metastatic melanoma, chemo- and chemoimmunotherapy has to be regarded as standard treatment in most of the cases. Novel and promising therapeutic options accrue from growing insights in tumor biology and immunology. Not only in melanoma, development and application of targeted therapies currently attract the most attention in the treatment of advanced tumors. First clinical experiences with those antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and proapoptotic agents reveal only moderate antitumoral activity in melanoma, so that future efforts aim at defining more effective combination strategies using chemo-, targeted and vaccination therapy approaches.

UV damage and DNA repair in malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer

Exposition of the skin with solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) is the main cause of skin cancer development. The consistently increasing incidences of melanocytic and nonmelanocytic skin tumors are believed to be at least in part associated with recreational sun exposure. Epidemiological data indicate that excessive or cumulative sunlight exposition takes place years and decades before the resulting malignancies arise. The most important defense mechanisms that protect human skin against UV radiation involve melanin synthesis and active repair mechanisms. DNA is the major target of direct or indirect UV-induced cellular damage. Low pigmentation capacity in white Caucasians and rare congenital defects in DNA repair are mainly responsible for protection failures. The important function of nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER) to protect against skin cancer becomes obvious by the rare genetic disease xeroderma pigmentosum, in which diverse NER genes are mutated. In animal models, it has been demonstrated that UVB is more effective to induce skin cancer than UVA. UV-induced DNA photoproducts are able to cause specific mutations (UV-signature) in susceptible genes for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). In SCC development, UV-signature mutations in the p513 tumor suppressor gene are the most common event, as precancerous lesions reveal approximately 80% and SCCs > 90% UV-specific p53 mutations. Mutations in Hedgehog pathway related genes, especially PTCH1, are well known to represent the most significant pathogenic event in BCC. However, specific UV-induced mutations can be found only in approximately 50% of sporadic BCCs. Thus, cumulative UVB radiation can not be considered to be the single etiologic risk factor for BCC development. During the last decades, experimental animal models, including genetically engineered mice, the Xiphophorus hybrid fish, the south american oppossum and human skin xenografts, have further elucidated the important role of the DNA repair system in the multi-step process of UV-induced melanomagenesis. An increasing body of evidence now indicates that nucleotide excision repair is not the only DNA repair pathway that is involved in UV-induced tumorigenesis of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. An interesting new perspective in DNA damage and repair research lies in the participation of mammalian mismatch repair (MMR) in UV damage correction. As MMR enzyme hMSH2 displays a p53 target gene, is induced by UVB radiation and is involved in NER pathways, studies have now been initiated to elucidate the physiological and pathophysiological role of MMR in malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer development.

Varicose veins in very young

The prevalence of varicose veins in very young patients is rather low. However, since this is not worked out in the literature, we considered on treatment strategies and techniques in this patients. Patients and methods: We included in our study 58 patients younger than 25 years, who presented to our clinic over a one year period. 42 patients revealed primary varicose veins with 68 legs affected. The average age was 21.5 years, 28 were female, 14 male. Due to CEAP 66 legs were classified as C2–C3, and two legs as C4. In 38 legs an incompetence of the saphenofemoral or saphenopopliteal junction (SFJ/ SPJ) was found. Generally, we recommended a conservative treatment approach and to play a waiting game. An active surgical treatment has been indicated in 21 legs based on increasing discomfort despite sufficient conservative therapy, reflux of the greater or lesser saphenous vein down to the ankle (Hach stage IV and III respectively), existence of a secondary deep vein incompetence or a strong patient’s demand. Finally, 15 patients have been treated surgically by flush ligation of the saphenofermoral/popliteal junction (SFJ/SPJ)), ligation of all side branches, oversewing the stump to protect from angiogenesis and complete removal of all superficial varicose veins in tumescent local anaesthesia. Results: After an average follow-up of five months 13 patients were reexamined. All junctional regions were without reflux and recurrent varices were not observed. One minor complication occurred (afferent nerve injury). Conclusion: Although all operations were performed without major complications our strategy is different now. After failure of conservative treatment we would advise at first to an endovenous obliteration. The aim is to gain time in young patients to avoid a first to third recurrence in the age of 40 to 50 years, because even after correctly performed ligation of the SFJ/SPJ recurrences may occur by neovascularization. We would perform an operation only if recurrences after endovenous therapy might develop or when a second endovenous procedure will not be favourable.

Frequency of colour vision deficiencies in melanoma patients: results of a prospective comparative screening study with the Farnsworth panel D 15 test including 300 melanoma patients and 100 healthy controls

Patients with melanoma may experience a variety of different vision symptoms, in part associated with melanoma-associated retinopathy. For several melanoma patients with or without melanoma-associated retinopathy, colour vision deficiencies, especially involving the tritan system, have been reported. The frequency of colour vision deficiencies in a larger cohort of melanoma patients has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of colour vision deficiencies in melanoma patients subject to stage of disease, prognostic factors such as tumour thickness or Clark level, S100-beta and predisposing diseases that may have an impact on colour vision (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma or cataract). Three hundred melanoma patients in different tumour stages and 100 healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls were examined with the saturated Farnsworth panel D 15 test. Seventy out of 300 (23.3%) melanoma patients and 12/100 (12%) controls showed pathologic results in colour testing. This discrepancy was significant (P < 0.016; odds ratio = 2.23, 95% confidence interval 1.15-4.32). Increasing age was identified as a highly significant (P = 0.0005) risk factor for blue vision deficiency. Adjusting for the age and predisposing diseases, we could show that melanoma was associated with the risk of blue vision deficiency. The frequency of blue vision deficiency in 52/260 melanoma patients without predisposing diseases (20%) compared with 4/78 controls without predisposing diseases (5.1%) differed significantly (odds ratio 4.441; confidence interval 1.54-12.62; P < 0.004). In 260 melanoma patients without predisposing diseases, blue vision deficiency, as graded on a 6-point scale, showed a weak positive correlation (Spearman) with tumour stage (r = 0.147; P < 0.01), tumour thickness (r = 0.10; P = 0.0035), Clark level (r = 0.12; P = 0.04) and a weak negative correlation with time since initial diagnosis (r = -0.11; P = 0.0455). Blue vision deficiency is associated with melanoma, but is only weakly related to stage of disease. Although we saw a positive correlation with well-known prognostic markers, such as tumour thickness and Clark level, blue vision deficiency as assessed by the Farnsworth panel D 15 test in general is inappropriate as a marker of tumour progression. For the use of blue vision deficiency in melanoma patients without predisposing diseases, a diligent test performance and interpretation is very important.

Therapie des metastasierten Melanoms

The incidence of malignant melanoma is steadily increasing worldwide. The most crucial requirement to cure the disease is early detection of thin primary tumors. At the stage of distant metastases, the treatment options are predominantly palliative. Resection of localized metastases is currently the most effective approach. Dacarbazine is considered as standard chemotherapy for inoperable metastatic disease showing remission rates of 5-20% without any noteworthy effect on overall survival. Quite recently, a large spectrum of innovative treatment approaches have been developed from an increasing insight into tumor biology. Along with improved vaccination strategies, targeted therapies have attracted the most attention in the treatment of advanced melanoma. Those anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and proapoptotic agents are directed against pathogenetically important pathways of the tumor cell. First clinical experiences are encouraging, but results from controlled trials have to be awaited.

[Differential diagnosis of verrucous skin changes. When wild warts grow rapidly...]

This article gives and overview of the various types of verrucous skin changes (viral warts, seborrheic warts).

Moderne Aspekte der Phlebochirurgie

In Germany almost every third adult suffers from varicose veins requiring treatment. Conventional varicose vein surgery by high ligation and stripping is widely accepted as standard therapy for saphenous vein insufficiency, although associated with a high frequency of recurrent varicosities. Innovative endovascular procedures laying claim to be minimally invasive have been implemented over the last five years: endovenous radiofrequency obliteration, endovenous laser treatment and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy with foam. The early treatment outcomes are promising in regard to recurrent varicose veins, cosmetic results and convalescence. Evidence-based prospective trials with large numbers of participants comparing the interventional procedures with high ligation and stripping are still missing. This report delineates current developments in varicose vein surgery and provides information on principles, effectiveness and side effect profiles of endovascular therapy procedures.