Raquel Santos-Juanes

Terminal differentiation-induced non-coding RNA (TINCR), initially classified as a long non-coding RNA, encodes a biologically active microprotein (pTINCR) involved in epidermal differentiation and tumor biology. However, the clinicopathological and prognostic relevance of pTINCR expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective case–control study including 116 patients with head and neck cSCC: 58 patients who developed nodal metastasis and 58 non-metastatic controls. pTINCR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and analyzed in relation to clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes. Unconditional logistic regression was used to evaluate its association with nodal metastasis. Cox proportional hazards models were additionally used to explore associations with time-to-event outcomes. Negative pTINCR expression was significantly associated with tumor thickness > 6 mm (p < 0.001), poorer histological differentiation (p = 0.002), and higher tumor stage (p = 0.011). In univariate logistic regression, negative pTINCR expression was associated with higher odds of nodal metastasis (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.27–5.77; p = 0.010), but this association was no longer significant after adjustment for established clinicopathological factors (adjusted OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.34–4.59; p = 0.736). In Cox analyses, negative pTINCR expression was associated with a shorter time to nodal metastasis (HR 1.88; p = 0.017) and higher tumor-specific mortality (HR 2.02; p = 0.033) in univariate analyses, but not after multivariable adjustment. Tumor budding remained the strongest independent prognostic factor across the evaluated time-to-event outcomes. Loss of pTINCR expression is associated with adverse histopathological features and nodal metastasis in head and neck cSCC, but it does not provide independent prognostic information beyond established clinicopathological factors. pTINCR may therefore serve as a marker of an aggressive tumor phenotype rather than an independent prognostic biomarker.

Background and Objectives: Ixekizumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-17A, approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Given its demonstrated efficacy and safety in clinical trials, this study aimed to evaluate the real-world drug survival of Ixekizumab and identify clinical predictors of treatment discontinuation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, observational, hospital-based study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA). Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who initiated treatment with Ixekizumab (Taltz^®) between 8 June 2017 and 10 October 2024, were included. Demographic data, comorbidities, age at disease onset, family history, PASI score, and previous treatments were recorded. Drug survival was assessed using Kaplan–Meier survival curves and the log-rank test. Predictors of discontinuation were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 103 patients (55.3% women) were included. Drug survival rates were 85% at one year, 73% at two years, and 61% at four years, with a mean treatment duration of 52.5 months (95% CI: 46.01–58.99). Multivariate analysis showed that patients under the age of 65 had a significantly higher risk of treatment discontinuation (hazard ratio: 1.813; p < 0.05). The most common reason for discontinuation was secondary treatment failure (45.16%). Ixekizumab demonstrated sustained drug survival in a real-world setting, with rates falling within the mid-to-upper range reported in the literature. Older age (>65 years) was associated with greater treatment persistence, highlighting a potential influence of age on long-term therapeutic adherence.

Background/Objectives: The incidence of both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers has increased significantly in recent years. Understanding their epidemiology is essential for implementing effective community prevention strategies and optimizing healthcare resource planning. This study aimed to (1) quantify the number of skin tumors diagnosed at the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) from 2014 to 2023; (2) describe temporal trends in the incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma; and (3) analyze the clinical and histopathological features of melanoma and estimate age-standardized incidence rates. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using data from the Pathology Registry of HUCA. Diagnosed cases were collected in an Excel database and analyzed with SPSS v.27. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation; categorical variables as counts and percentages. Incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using EPIDAT 4.2, based on the European standard population. Municipal population data were obtained from the SADEI website. Results: A total of 7477 BCC, 2689 SCC, and 585 melanoma cases were identified. Over the study period, BCC cases increased by 50%, SCC by 80%, and melanoma by 159%. Among melanoma cases, 89% were diagnosed by dermatologists, 60% were women, 33.1% were melanoma in situ, and 73.3% were superficial spreading melanomas. Age-standardized melanoma incidence rose from 8.85/100,000 in 2014 to 18.50 in 2023. Conclusions: Skin cancer incidence, especially melanoma, has risen markedly in Asturias, with more in situ cases suggesting improved early detection. The 2020 decline reflects COVID-19′s impact on access to care, underscoring the need for sustained prevention and screening efforts.

In routine clinical settings, identifying the factors that influence the persistence of biologic therapies is crucial for tailoring psoriasis management to individual patient profiles. This study aimed to evaluate the real-world drug survival of tildrakizumab in patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis at the Dermatology Department of HUCA and to explore the clinical predictors of treatment discontinuation. We conducted a retrospective, hospital-based analysis involving 100 patients treated with tildrakizumab (Ilumetri^®) between 1 January 2021 and 30 April 2024. Kaplan–Meier estimates were used to construct survival curves, and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Both crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess potential differences across patient subgroups. The multivariate analysis identified statistically significant associations between reduced drug survival and the presence of psoriatic arthritis (p = 0.02), previous biologic exposure (p = 0.02), and arterial hypertension (p = 0.012). Other comorbidities did not demonstrate significant effects. The most common reasons for treatment discontinuation were primary inefficacy and suboptimal response in patients with arthritis. Overall, tildrakizumab demonstrated robust survival outcomes in this patient population, though diminished persistence was observed in those with prior biologic use, comorbid arthritis, and hypertension.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. The incidence of metastasis for cSCC is estimated to be around 1.2–5%. Ribosomal protein S6 (p-S6) and the p21 protein (p21) are two proteins that play central roles in other cancers. These proteins may be equally important in cSCC, and together, these could constitute a good candidate for metastasis risk assessment of these patients. We investigate the relationship of p-S6 and p21 expression with the impact on the prognosis of head and neck cSCC (cSCCHN). p-S6 and p21 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 116 patients with cSCCHN and associations sought with clinical characteristics. Kaplan–Meier estimators and Cox proportional hazard regression models were also used. The expression of p-S6 was significantly inversely associated with tumor thickness, tumor size, desmoplastic growth, pathological stage, perineural invasion and tumor buds. p21 expression was significantly inversely correlated with >6 mm tumor thickness, desmoplastic growth, and perineural invasion. p-S6-negative expression significantly predicted an increased risk of nodal metastasis (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.51–4.54; p < 0.001). p21 expression was not found to be a significant risk factor for nodal metastasis. These findings demonstrate that p-S6-negative expression is an independent predictor of nodal metastasis. The immunohistochemical expression of p-S6 might aid in better risk stratification and management of patients with cSCCHN.