No abstract

Compared with the continuous-wave laser, the short-pulsed carbon dioxide laser results in less postoperative erythema. However, the type of postoperative treatment has little, if any, beneficial effect for reducing erythema.

The decreased transient temperature and decrease in purpura seen with the use of sapphire and diamond protecting the epidermis during treatment with the FEDL should result in fewer untoward effects during treatment of vascular lesions and facilitate their management.

No abstract

To understand the role of retinoids in chemoprevention, the authors examined the effects of 13-cis retinoic acid (cRA) on squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins. The antiproliferative effects of cRA were first seen on day 11 (66% inhibition) and progressed through day 19 (96% inhibition). Using an adhesion assay, the authors then investigated the effects of cRA and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) on cellular adhesion to purified type IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin matrices. Cells treated for 4 days with TGF-beta1 increased adhesion by 15% to 29%, and cells treated with cRA increased adhesion by 19% to 39%. However, the use of cRA alone resulted in a decrease in adhesion when tumor cells were treated for 7 days (20% to 32%) and 15 days (25% to 40%). The authors also discuss how cRA acts as a differentiating agent on squamous cell carcinoma.