Westmead Dermatology
Striving towards disease-free skin
We are excited to publish our article entitled “Incidence of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) in Patients on Anti-Programmed Cell Death-1 Therapy (anti-PD1) for Metastatic Melanoma” in the Journal of Immunotherapy. BCCs and SCCs are the bread and butter of dermatology in Australia. This is the first study comparing the incidence …
We are delighted to have published our research article entitled “Differential Proteomic Analysis of Actinic Keratosis, Bowen’s Disease and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Label-Free LC-MS/MS” in the Journal of Dermatological Science. In this paper, we report on proteomic investigations of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) actinic keratosis (AK), Bowen’s disease (BD), and cutaneous squamous cell …
Shelley Hwang has just received a copy of the book Adverse Reactions to Biologics that includes her chapter on the monoclonal antibodies used in Melanoma patients: ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab. Shelley is one of the CTSR experts in the cutaneous effects of checkpoint inhibitors used in patients with cancers.
Naevus lightening is a fascinating phenomenon found in patients on BRAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors combination therapy (BiMiC) and checkpoint immunotherapy. We have recently published a study unravelling the mystery underlining this phenomenon. We biopsied 7 lightened naevi from metastatic melanoma patients on either BiMiC or checkpoint immunotherapy such as pembrolizumab. Under the microscope, we …
Our department feels privileged to have another oncodermatology publication in the Australasian Journal of Dermatology titled: “Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor‐induced papulopustular eruption successfully treated with low‐dose oral dapsone”. Patients on EGFR inhibitors frequently develop cutaneous adverse events including papulopustular eruptions (also known as acneiform eruptions), hair loss and xerosis. This is a paper about …
Congratualations to Dr Shaun Chou, with the paper “PD-1 inhibitor associated lichenoid inflammation with incidental suprabasilar acantholysis or vesiculation – report of four cases” accepted in Journal of Cutaneous Pathology last week. This is a paper about four rare cases of atypical lichenoid reactions with histological blistering, that histologically mimicked paraneoplastic pemphigus. All of the …
Various cutaneous side-effects have been reported with anti-melanoma systemic therapies. BRAF inhibitors, MEK inhibitors, anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 molecules have changed the prognosis of patients with metastatic melanoma, improving their chances of survival. Some side effects appear in these patients, including changes in nevi (moles). We have reviewed the changes in our patients on dabrafenib, vermurafenib …
Written by Dr Charlotte Thomas Research conducted by our team at the Skin & Cancer Foundation Australia and published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology suggests that Australian adults continue to experience sunburn. In our study, with over 650 participants, 57% had been sunburned within the previous year alone. We …
Written by Dr Shelley Hwang Recently, we have published a review article describing “Cutaneous adverse events of new anti-melanoma therapies: classification and management” in Actas Dermo-sifiliograficas. The review article describes comprehensive summary of cutaneous adverse events that emerge with the use of systemic anti-melanoma therapies such as BRAF inhibitors, MEK inhibitors, a combination of BRAF …
The report on our study looking at the optimal delivery of phototherapy education to patients was published this week in the British Journal of Dermatology. Summary: This study aimed to improve the phototherapy safety knowledge of patients starting treatment. We designed a self-directed tablet-based education session, which covered the key phototherapy safety and responsibility messages …
