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Nearly 15% of melanomas occur in patients with a family history and a subset of these patients have a germline mutation in a melanoma predisposing gene. CDKN2A mutations are responsible for the majority of hereditary melanoma, but many other susceptibility genes have been discovered in recent years, including CDK4, TERT, ACD, TERF2IP, POT1, MITF, MC1R, and BAP1. Additionally, melanoma risk is increased in mixed cancer syndromes caused by mutations in PTEN, BRCA2, BRCA1, RB1, and TP53. While early onset, multiple tumors, and family cancer history remain the most valuable clinical clues for hereditary melanoma, characteristic epithelioid cytology of melanocytic tumors may suggest an underlying BAP1 mutation. Herein, we review the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of melanocytic tumors associated with these germline mutations and discuss the role of genetic counseling.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune, nonscarring hair loss disorder with slightly greater prevalence in children than adults. Various treatment modalities exist; however, their evidence in pediatric AA patients is lacking.Objective: To evaluate the evidence of current treatment modalities for pediatric AA. Methods:We conducted a systematic review on the PubMed database in October 2019 for all published articles involving patients \18 years old. Articles discussing AA treatment in pediatric patients were included, as were articles discussing both pediatric and adult patients, if data on individual pediatric patients were available.Results: Inclusion criteria were met by 122 total reports discussing 1032 patients. Reports consisted of 2 randomized controlled trials, 4 prospective comparative cohorts, 83 case series, 2 case-control studies, and 31 case reports. Included articles assessed the use of aloe, apremilast, anthralin, anti-interferon gamma antibodies, botulinum toxin, corticosteroids, contact immunotherapies, cryotherapy, hydroxychloroquine, hypnotherapy, imiquimod, Janus kinase inhibitors, laser and light therapy, methotrexate, minoxidil, phototherapy, psychotherapy, prostaglandin analogs, sulfasalazine, topical calcineurin inhibitors, topical nitrogen mustard, and ustekinumab.Limitations: English-only articles with full texts were used. Manuscripts with adult and pediatric data were only incorporated if individual-level data for pediatric patients were provided. No meta-analysis was performed. Conclusion:Topical corticosteroids are the preferred first-line treatment for pediatric AA, as they hold the highest level of evidence, followed by contact immunotherapy. More clinical trials and comparative studies are needed to further guide management of pediatric AA and to promote the potential use of pre-existing, low-cost, and novel therapies, including Janus kinase inhibitors.

eneralized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is an orphan disease characterized by the rapid appearance of sterile pustules and generalized erythema. Patients are often systemically ill and may experience severe organ dysfunction and rarely death. The genetic risk factors for pustular psoriasis are different from other types of psoriasis. To date, variations have been identified in the following genes: IL36RN (interleukin-36 receptor antagonist), CARD14 (caspase recruitment domain family member 14), AP1S3 (adapter related protein complex 1 subunit sigma 3), SERPINA3 (serpin family A member 3), and MPO (myeloperoxidase); however, the majority of patients do not have a known genetic variant. 1 Owing to the rarity of GPP, there is limited information about the natural disease course. The only epidemiological data from the United States is a report of 63 patients seen over 29 years at a single institution. 2 The objective of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics, natural disease course, treatments, and health care utilization of patients with GPP across the United States. Methods Study Design and PopulationThis is a retrospective, longitudinal case series of adults (≥18 years) with a diagnosis of GPP confirmed by a dermatologist (January 1, 2007-December 31, 2018) (Table 1). Up to 5 potential cases were identified from each of 20 participating sites' electronic health records or site-specific databases, starting with cases seen most recently. All diagnoses were confirmed by the principal investigator at each site at the time of data entry. Only patients who met the European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network (ERASPEN) consensus definition of GPP with documentation of "primary, sterile, macroscopically visible pustules on nonacral skin, excluding cases where pustulation is restricted to psoriatic plaques" 3 and had had a dermatology encounter with active pustular disease during the study period were included.IMPORTANCE Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a chronic, orphan disease with limited epidemiological data.OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical characteristics, treatments, longitudinal disease course, and disease-specific health care utilization among patients with GPP across the United States. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA retrospective longitudinal case series involving 95 adults who met the European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network consensus definition for GPP and were treated at 20 US academic dermatology practices between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2018. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcome is to describe the patient characteristics, associated medical comorbidities, treatment patterns complications, and GPP-specific health care utilization.RESULTS Sixty-seven of 95 patients (70.5%) were women (mean age, 50.3 years [SD, 16.1 years]). In the initial encounter, 35 patients (36.8%) were hospitalized and 64 (67.4%) were treated with systemic therapies. In total, more than 20 different systemic therapies were tried. During the follow-up period, 19 patients (35.8%) rep...