The 2013 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference rolled into the Wynn Encore in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 17th to the 20th and offered attendees practical approaches to patient management. Throughout the 4-day program, the topics ranged from psoriasis to alopecia and pigmentary disorders to hyperhidrosis and skin cancer.
Several sessions were devoted exclusively to the clinical pearl/tip format and included sessions like: Learn from the Experts: 20 Clinical Tips in 20 Minutes (Brian Berman, MD, PhD, Chair, David M. Pariser, MD, Whitney A. High, MD, JD and Daniel M. Siegel, MD, MS), Surgical Pearls (Suzanne Olbricht, MD) and Unusual Treatments for Unusual Conditions (Diane R. Baker, MD). Live patient workshops were held on Saturday, October 19th.
The Sessions
Skin Cancer
Abel Torres, MD, JD, professor and chairman, director of Mohs Surgery, department of dermatology, Loma Linda University, spoke on new treatments for advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and advanced melanoma. At present, patients with inoperable advanced BCC have limited or no therapeutic options, and new treatment options are needed for advanced BCC, he said. He reviewed conventional treatments for BCC and provided an overview of the Hedgehog pathway and vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech). “Vismodegib provides substantial clinical benefit for patients with advanced metastatic BCC,” he said. “Common adverse events are prominent but predominantly mild-to-moderate. Targeted inhibition of Hedgehog signaling with vismodegib may be useful to reduce tumor burden in selected patients.”
New medications for advanced melanoma offer patients hope, Dr. Torres noted. Currently the 10-year survival rate for metastatic melanoma is less than 10%. He reviewed guidelines and research from the literature for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, including ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb), vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Genentech), trametinib (Mekinist, GlaxoSmithKline) and imatinib (Gleevec, Novartis Oncology).
Pediatric Eczema
Victoria Barrio, MD, associate clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine (dermatology) at the University of California, San Diego, filled attendees in on the new and important updates in pediatric eczema as well as the current American Academy of Dermatology guidelines for treatment (published in 2004). New guidelines are in the works, she noted. Dr. Barrio said that dermatologists should consider recommending topical corticosteroids be used once a day and the use of moisturizers should be stressed. She advised clinicians provide parents with written instructions and action plans.
In addition, she also pointed out that there has been recent reassuring information on topical calcineurin inhibitors. “Antihistamines may help with sleep during flares, but improving the skin through topical therapy is the goal,” she explained. “Atopic dermatitis is associated with several long-term mental health comorbidities and should be aggressively managed.”
Psoriasis
Mark Lebowohl, MD, chairman, department of dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, provided an overview of new psoriasis therapies, including anti-interleukin (IL)-17 monoclonal antibody ixekizumab (Eli Lilly and Co.) for chronic plaque psoriasis, secukinumab (Novartis) for moderate-to-severe-plaque psoriasis, brodalumab (Amgen Inc.), an anti-IL-17-receptor antibody, adalimumab (Humira, AbbVie Inc.), etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen) and ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen), an IL-12 antibody.
Robert E. Kalb, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine, supplied insights into psoriasis outcomes and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. He explained that PASI scores and physician global assessment assessments correlate with dermatology specific quality of life measures. While PASI 75 is still the gold standard, there is incremental benefit in achieving a PASI of 90 or greater.
Pigmentary Disorders
Valerie D. Callender, MD, associate professor of dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, gave an update on the new treatments on the horizon for hyperpigmentation. Combining topicals with penetration enhancers, keratolytic agents or chemical peels to the regimen can increase efficacy, she explained. In addition, oral photoprotective agents in the active and maintenance phases of melasma can minimize recurrences, she said.
Alopecia
Jerry Shapiro, MD, a dermatologist and hair specialist in practice in New York, discussed the challenges in treating hair loss caused by frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and reviewed results from a retrospective, clinical study of 62 patients with treatment outcomes and long-term follow-up. “FFA is increasingly seen in premenopausal females,” Dr. Shapiro said. “Loss of eyebrows and presence of lonely hair can be an early clinical diagnostic clue of FFA. Presence of other autoimmune disease in patient with FFA may herald a more severe and rapidly progressive disease.”
In addition, hormonal therapy might act as a FFA trigger. Intraleasional triamcinolone acetonide with or without oral tetracycline may help to halt or slow the progression of the disease, he concluded.
Hyperhidrosis
According to David M. Pariser, MD, in practice in Virginia, treatment of patients with focal hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is easy to learn and leads to a greater improvement of patient’s quality of life than treatment of any other dermatologic disorder.
Treatment options include non-invasive (topical antiperspirants, other topical agents, iontophoresis and systemic medications), minimally invasive (botulinum toxin injections) and surgical treatments (local excision, subcutaneous curettage or liposuction of axillary tissue and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy).
“Treatment for focal hyperhidrosis can be easily integrated into a routine office practice and is a economically viable,” he said, noting that it is a procedure that a physician assistant can perform.
Next Stop Hawaii
The 2014 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference will be held from January 17-22, 2014 at the Fairmont Orchid, Kona Coast, Hawaii. The sold-out event will include lectures, panels, live patient workshops and question and answer sessions in the latest in medical, surgical and cosmetic therapies, procedures and devices.
For more information, see https://www.clinicaldermconf.org/
The 2013 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference rolled into the Wynn Encore in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 17th to the 20th and offered attendees practical approaches to patient management. Throughout the 4-day program, the topics ranged from psoriasis to alopecia and pigmentary disorders to hyperhidrosis and skin cancer.
Several sessions were devoted exclusively to the clinical pearl/tip format and included sessions like: Learn from the Experts: 20 Clinical Tips in 20 Minutes (Brian Berman, MD, PhD, Chair, David M. Pariser, MD, Whitney A. High, MD, JD and Daniel M. Siegel, MD, MS), Surgical Pearls (Suzanne Olbricht, MD) and Unusual Treatments for Unusual Conditions (Diane R. Baker, MD). Live patient workshops were held on Saturday, October 19th.
The Sessions
Skin Cancer
Abel Torres, MD, JD, professor and chairman, director of Mohs Surgery, department of dermatology, Loma Linda University, spoke on new treatments for advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and advanced melanoma. At present, patients with inoperable advanced BCC have limited or no therapeutic options, and new treatment options are needed for advanced BCC, he said. He reviewed conventional treatments for BCC and provided an overview of the Hedgehog pathway and vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech). “Vismodegib provides substantial clinical benefit for patients with advanced metastatic BCC,” he said. “Common adverse events are prominent but predominantly mild-to-moderate. Targeted inhibition of Hedgehog signaling with vismodegib may be useful to reduce tumor burden in selected patients.”
New medications for advanced melanoma offer patients hope, Dr. Torres noted. Currently the 10-year survival rate for metastatic melanoma is less than 10%. He reviewed guidelines and research from the literature for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, including ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb), vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Genentech), trametinib (Mekinist, GlaxoSmithKline) and imatinib (Gleevec, Novartis Oncology).
Pediatric Eczema
Victoria Barrio, MD, associate clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine (dermatology) at the University of California, San Diego, filled attendees in on the new and important updates in pediatric eczema as well as the current American Academy of Dermatology guidelines for treatment (published in 2004). New guidelines are in the works, she noted. Dr. Barrio said that dermatologists should consider recommending topical corticosteroids be used once a day and the use of moisturizers should be stressed. She advised clinicians provide parents with written instructions and action plans.
In addition, she also pointed out that there has been recent reassuring information on topical calcineurin inhibitors. “Antihistamines may help with sleep during flares, but improving the skin through topical therapy is the goal,” she explained. “Atopic dermatitis is associated with several long-term mental health comorbidities and should be aggressively managed.”
Psoriasis
Mark Lebowohl, MD, chairman, department of dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, provided an overview of new psoriasis therapies, including anti-interleukin (IL)-17 monoclonal antibody ixekizumab (Eli Lilly and Co.) for chronic plaque psoriasis, secukinumab (Novartis) for moderate-to-severe-plaque psoriasis, brodalumab (Amgen Inc.), an anti-IL-17-receptor antibody, adalimumab (Humira, AbbVie Inc.), etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen) and ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen), an IL-12 antibody.
Robert E. Kalb, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine, supplied insights into psoriasis outcomes and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. He explained that PASI scores and physician global assessment assessments correlate with dermatology specific quality of life measures. While PASI 75 is still the gold standard, there is incremental benefit in achieving a PASI of 90 or greater.
Pigmentary Disorders
Valerie D. Callender, MD, associate professor of dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, gave an update on the new treatments on the horizon for hyperpigmentation. Combining topicals with penetration enhancers, keratolytic agents or chemical peels to the regimen can increase efficacy, she explained. In addition, oral photoprotective agents in the active and maintenance phases of melasma can minimize recurrences, she said.
Alopecia
Jerry Shapiro, MD, a dermatologist and hair specialist in practice in New York, discussed the challenges in treating hair loss caused by frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and reviewed results from a retrospective, clinical study of 62 patients with treatment outcomes and long-term follow-up. “FFA is increasingly seen in premenopausal females,” Dr. Shapiro said. “Loss of eyebrows and presence of lonely hair can be an early clinical diagnostic clue of FFA. Presence of other autoimmune disease in patient with FFA may herald a more severe and rapidly progressive disease.”
In addition, hormonal therapy might act as a FFA trigger. Intraleasional triamcinolone acetonide with or without oral tetracycline may help to halt or slow the progression of the disease, he concluded.
Hyperhidrosis
According to David M. Pariser, MD, in practice in Virginia, treatment of patients with focal hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is easy to learn and leads to a greater improvement of patient’s quality of life than treatment of any other dermatologic disorder.
Treatment options include non-invasive (topical antiperspirants, other topical agents, iontophoresis and systemic medications), minimally invasive (botulinum toxin injections) and surgical treatments (local excision, subcutaneous curettage or liposuction of axillary tissue and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy).
“Treatment for focal hyperhidrosis can be easily integrated into a routine office practice and is a economically viable,” he said, noting that it is a procedure that a physician assistant can perform.
Next Stop Hawaii
The 2014 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference will be held from January 17-22, 2014 at the Fairmont Orchid, Kona Coast, Hawaii. The sold-out event will include lectures, panels, live patient workshops and question and answer sessions in the latest in medical, surgical and cosmetic therapies, procedures and devices.
For more information, see https://www.clinicaldermconf.org/
The 2013 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference rolled into the Wynn Encore in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 17th to the 20th and offered attendees practical approaches to patient management. Throughout the 4-day program, the topics ranged from psoriasis to alopecia and pigmentary disorders to hyperhidrosis and skin cancer.
Several sessions were devoted exclusively to the clinical pearl/tip format and included sessions like: Learn from the Experts: 20 Clinical Tips in 20 Minutes (Brian Berman, MD, PhD, Chair, David M. Pariser, MD, Whitney A. High, MD, JD and Daniel M. Siegel, MD, MS), Surgical Pearls (Suzanne Olbricht, MD) and Unusual Treatments for Unusual Conditions (Diane R. Baker, MD). Live patient workshops were held on Saturday, October 19th.
The Sessions
Skin Cancer
Abel Torres, MD, JD, professor and chairman, director of Mohs Surgery, department of dermatology, Loma Linda University, spoke on new treatments for advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and advanced melanoma. At present, patients with inoperable advanced BCC have limited or no therapeutic options, and new treatment options are needed for advanced BCC, he said. He reviewed conventional treatments for BCC and provided an overview of the Hedgehog pathway and vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech). “Vismodegib provides substantial clinical benefit for patients with advanced metastatic BCC,” he said. “Common adverse events are prominent but predominantly mild-to-moderate. Targeted inhibition of Hedgehog signaling with vismodegib may be useful to reduce tumor burden in selected patients.”
New medications for advanced melanoma offer patients hope, Dr. Torres noted. Currently the 10-year survival rate for metastatic melanoma is less than 10%. He reviewed guidelines and research from the literature for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, including ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb), vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Genentech), trametinib (Mekinist, GlaxoSmithKline) and imatinib (Gleevec, Novartis Oncology).
Pediatric Eczema
Victoria Barrio, MD, associate clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine (dermatology) at the University of California, San Diego, filled attendees in on the new and important updates in pediatric eczema as well as the current American Academy of Dermatology guidelines for treatment (published in 2004). New guidelines are in the works, she noted. Dr. Barrio said that dermatologists should consider recommending topical corticosteroids be used once a day and the use of moisturizers should be stressed. She advised clinicians provide parents with written instructions and action plans.
In addition, she also pointed out that there has been recent reassuring information on topical calcineurin inhibitors. “Antihistamines may help with sleep during flares, but improving the skin through topical therapy is the goal,” she explained. “Atopic dermatitis is associated with several long-term mental health comorbidities and should be aggressively managed.”
Psoriasis
Mark Lebowohl, MD, chairman, department of dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, provided an overview of new psoriasis therapies, including anti-interleukin (IL)-17 monoclonal antibody ixekizumab (Eli Lilly and Co.) for chronic plaque psoriasis, secukinumab (Novartis) for moderate-to-severe-plaque psoriasis, brodalumab (Amgen Inc.), an anti-IL-17-receptor antibody, adalimumab (Humira, AbbVie Inc.), etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen) and ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen), an IL-12 antibody.
Robert E. Kalb, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine, supplied insights into psoriasis outcomes and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. He explained that PASI scores and physician global assessment assessments correlate with dermatology specific quality of life measures. While PASI 75 is still the gold standard, there is incremental benefit in achieving a PASI of 90 or greater.
Pigmentary Disorders
Valerie D. Callender, MD, associate professor of dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, gave an update on the new treatments on the horizon for hyperpigmentation. Combining topicals with penetration enhancers, keratolytic agents or chemical peels to the regimen can increase efficacy, she explained. In addition, oral photoprotective agents in the active and maintenance phases of melasma can minimize recurrences, she said.
Alopecia
Jerry Shapiro, MD, a dermatologist and hair specialist in practice in New York, discussed the challenges in treating hair loss caused by frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and reviewed results from a retrospective, clinical study of 62 patients with treatment outcomes and long-term follow-up. “FFA is increasingly seen in premenopausal females,” Dr. Shapiro said. “Loss of eyebrows and presence of lonely hair can be an early clinical diagnostic clue of FFA. Presence of other autoimmune disease in patient with FFA may herald a more severe and rapidly progressive disease.”
In addition, hormonal therapy might act as a FFA trigger. Intraleasional triamcinolone acetonide with or without oral tetracycline may help to halt or slow the progression of the disease, he concluded.
Hyperhidrosis
According to David M. Pariser, MD, in practice in Virginia, treatment of patients with focal hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is easy to learn and leads to a greater improvement of patient’s quality of life than treatment of any other dermatologic disorder.
Treatment options include non-invasive (topical antiperspirants, other topical agents, iontophoresis and systemic medications), minimally invasive (botulinum toxin injections) and surgical treatments (local excision, subcutaneous curettage or liposuction of axillary tissue and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy).
“Treatment for focal hyperhidrosis can be easily integrated into a routine office practice and is a economically viable,” he said, noting that it is a procedure that a physician assistant can perform.
Next Stop Hawaii
The 2014 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference will be held from January 17-22, 2014 at the Fairmont Orchid, Kona Coast, Hawaii. The sold-out event will include lectures, panels, live patient workshops and question and answer sessions in the latest in medical, surgical and cosmetic therapies, procedures and devices.
For more information, see https://www.clinicaldermconf.org/
