Women's Health

The tongue is often the site for choristomas, a condition where normal tissue is in an abnormal place.

Anaheim, Calif. — In older patients with skin cancer and other cancers, doctors must weigh the aggressiveness of treatments against the impact they could have on other health conditions and patients' overall quality of life.

Leipzig, Germany — A new laser device measures cell elasticity to identify cancer cells with greater accuracy than traditional methods, according to Josef A. K?s, Ph.D., professor of physics and director of the Institute of Soft Matter Physics at the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Applications include improved cancer diagnosis, identification of metastatic cells and improved harvesting of adult stem cells.

The other issue evaluated by the court was whether the mass observed by the defendant physician was even the same mass that ultimately became ancerous.

Miami — Bacitracin has been labeled a top cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in children. Notably, it is an ingredient in Neosporin (Pfizer) and a staple in first aid kits in schools, summer camps and just about every other child-centered environment. Yet private practitioners do not routinely test for this allergen.

Newport Beach, Calif. — With numerous treatment options available for patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), selecting the right approach requires balancing patient preferences with clinical priorities.

New Orleans — Dermatologists are gaining greater insight into which birthmarks they need to worry about, said Tor A. Shwayder, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) here.

Recently, a group of leading dermatologists, clinical investigators, and dermasurgeons met to discuss the role of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in their practices. The experts discussed a new treatment paradigm for actinic keratosis (AK) and how it is changing. They also shared their personal experiences in using 5-FU innovatively to treat AK, while reducing inflammation and discomfort and improving compliance. In addition, the physicians reviewed the use of 5-FU in the treatment of several other dermatologic conditions, such aswarts and actinic cheilitis.

Additionally, recent research has shown that long-term use of antibiotics increases women's risk of breast cancer.

Why do women with more pregnancies have more facial wrinkles?

There are several infectious agents using both direct and indirect mechanisms that may play a role in skin cancers.

Washington — Although HIV-1 and HSV-2 are unrelated viruses, differing greatly in structure, size, mode of replication, mechanism of action and other criteria, there exists an epidemiological symmetry between the two viruses.

A one-week course of treatment with Dermik Laboratories' topical 0.5 percent fluorouracil cream Carac prior to cryosurgery is significantly more effective in reducing actinic keratosis (AK) lesions than cryosurgery alone, according to results of a 12-month clinical trial.

Analyses of limited data collected by the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) suggest there is no increased risk of major malformations or spontaneous abortions in women who received treatment with an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha medication early during pregnancy, reports Christina Chambers, Ph.D.

Arguably, the biggest advance in skin cancer therapy is the development of topical medications.

Arguably, the biggest advance in skin cancer therapy is the development of topical medications.

The phase 4 studies are designed to gather additional information on Metvix PDT compared with alternative treatments along with the use in specific patient populations and in new ways.

With tighter restrictions now a reality, many dermatologists could stop prescribing isotretinoin altogether.

When a woman has genital itching or pain, the dermatologist is the right physician to identify the cause and solution, says Libby Edwards, M.D., chief of dermatology at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte,

(FDA) advisory committee members voted 16-8 in favor of a mandatory registry, a plan which was also supported by Hoffman-LaRoche and generic isotretinoin manufacturers.

New York - Discussing "What's Up with Isotretinoin" at the recent American Academy of Dermatology Academy '04 here, John S. Strauss, M.D., reported that much of the recent attention on oral retinoids continues to focus on the pregnancy risk management aspects of its use for the treatment of acne.

New York-Chronic persistent acne in adult women is a common problem that often has some underlying hormonal influence, said Diane S. Berson, M.D., at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy '04 here.

Philadelphia - Experts in the field of acne management gathered here in June to discuss the implications of recent data on the use of antibiotics in relation to the treatment of acne.

Kauai, Hawaii - The availability of methods to test for, prevent and treat osteoporosis gives dermatologists an opportunity to better care for their patients who take corticosteroids - while avoiding malpractice litigation for steroid-induced osteoporosis.

Lipstick movement into furrows on the upper and lower lips is a common problem encountered by mature women. It is caused by the loss of subcutaneous fat on the face and within the lips in combination with facial osteoporosis. The lip line of an adolescent girl protrudes from the face in a youthful pout, but with maturity, the lip line actually becomes flush with the face. This loss of volume results in the skin folding around the upper and lower lips, creating furrows into which lipstick can easily wick.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been established as a beneficial technique in breast cancer, which has led researchers to examine its utility for melanoma patients.

Clinicians should be aware that unrecognized oral candidiasis is a common underlying cause for recalcitrant vulvar disease.

Charleston, S.C. - Skin diseases are common among pediatric solid organ transplant recipients, and so dermatologists play an important role in the management of these children, said Maria C. Garzon, M.D., at the 2004 annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology here.

Albert Kligman, M.D., Ph.D., explores pigmentary disorders and develops enduring treatments

David M. Pariser, M.D., offers pearls pulled from more than three decades of experience