IntroductionImmunotherapy is a well-established treatment option in patients with metastatic melanoma. However, biomarkers that can be used to predict a response in these patients have not yet been found, putting patients at risk of severe side effects.MethodsIn this retrospective analysis, we investigated the association between the body mass index and ipilimumab treatment response in patients with metastatic melanoma. Patients with metastatic melanoma who received a monotherapy of up to 4 doses of ipilimumab (3 mg/kg) every 3 weeks from 2011 to 2014 in three major hospitals in Austria were included. Patients were classified into two groups: normal group (BMI<25) and overweight group (BMI≥25).Results40 patients had a normal BMI, and 36 had a BMI above normal. Patients with a BMI that was above normal showed significantly higher response rates (p = 0.024, χ2), and lower likelihood of brain metastases (p = 0.012, χ2). No differences were found between both groups with respect to gender (p = 0.324, χ2), T-stage (p = 0.197, χ2), or the occurrence of side effects (p = 0.646, χ2). Patients with a BMI above normal showed a trend towards longer overall survival (p = 0.056, Log-Rank), but no difference was found regarding progression-free survival (p = 0.924, Log-Rank).ConclusionsThe BMI correlated with the response to ipilimumab treatment in a cohort of metastatic melanoma patients.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and influence of predatory journals in the field of dermatology in Austria. A total of 286 physicians (50.5% men) completed a questionnaire. The vast majority of subjects read scientific articles (n = 281, 98.3%) and took them into consideration in their clinical decision-making (n = 271, 98.5% of participants that regularly read scientific literature). Open access was known by 161 (56.3%), predatory journals by 84 (29.4%), and the Beall's list by 19 physicians (6.7%). A total of 117 participants (40.9%) had been challenged by patients with results from the scientific literature, including 9 predatory papers. Participants who knew of predatory journals had a higher level of education as well as scientific experience, and were more familiar with the open-access system (p < 0.001). These results indicate that the majority of dermatologists are not familiar with predatory journals. This is particularly the case for physicians in training and in the early stages of their career.

The association of iris freckles, behavioral factors, and dermatologic findings, as well as the topographical distribution, indicate that sunlight exposure may trigger the formation of iris freckles. The evaluation of iris freckles offers an easily accessible potential biomarker, which might be helpful in indicating sun damage on the skin associated with cutaneous malignancies. Furthermore, the evaluation of iris freckles could also be helpful in understanding the role of sunlight in several ophthalmologic diseases.