Despite the disproportionate underuse of genetic counseling and testing for BRCA1/2 (BRCA)-associated hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) risk among Latinas, little is known about the associated barriers and facilitators. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 at-risk Latina women from diverse backgrounds. Eligible women were diagnosed with breast cancer <50 years, with or without a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer (>1 first-degree relative diagnosed <50 years). All interviews were conducted in Spanish, audio recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. Two bilingual coders used thematic analyses to identify 7 main themes. Results revealed very low levels of awareness and knowledge about HBOC and BRCA genetic counseling. Interestingly, for most Latinas, competing life demands and cultural concerns (fatalismo and destino) did not strongly influence personal beliefs about genetic counseling. In addition, older women were equally as interested in education, cancer prevention, and BRCA genetic counseling as younger women. These findings suggest that Latinas, regardless of age, increasingly acknowledge and prioritize their own health. Women reported their main motivator to undergo counseling was concern about family members' cancer risks. Main barriers included financial and insurance concerns, and lack of awareness about genetic services. Investigating the beliefs and attitudes of diverse populations of Latinas at risk for HBOC reveals logistical barriers to BRCA genetic counseling uptake within this under-represented community. Efforts are needed to provide at-risk Latina breast cancer survivors' knowledge of and access to genetic counseling and testing based on risk status and Latinas' increasing responsiveness and uptake of these services.
Epidermal nevi are benign hamartomas of the epidermis and adnexal structures of the skin. We present the case of epidermal nevi in the bilateral external auditory ear canals of an otherwise healthy 23‐year‐old woman treated with CO2 laser ablation.
Background: Split thickness skin grafting is a widely used surgical technique for wound coverage. Despite the popularity of this procedure, outcomes data has been poorly reported. Methods: Under IRB approval we reviewed the records of all patients receiving split thickness skin grafting for lower extremity wounds from 2014 to 2016. We have defined success as wound healing of ≥99.5%. Results: 180 diabetic patients were included in this study. 103 (95%) had hypertension, 75 (69%) had hyperlipidemia, 29 (27%) had congestive heart failure, and 22 (20%) had venous stasis. Complete epithelialization was obtained for 29 (22%) patients at 30d, 48 (36%) patients at 60d, 63 (48%) patients at 90d, and 77 (58%) patients at 365d of follow-up. At last available follow-up 79 (60%) wounds obtained complete healing (≥99.5% coverage). Venous stasis led to inadequate healing at 30d (p<0.0371), 90d (p<0.0006), and 365d (p<0.0005) and trended toward significance at 60d (p<0.0809). Congestive heart failure led to inadequate healing at 60d (p<0.0334), and 90d (p<0.0015). The presence of bacteria on wound bed cultures did not show a significant effect on wound healing. The most common bacteria were coagulase negative Staphylococcus, MRSA, and Enterococcus faecalis. Only enterococcus faecalis showed significance at 30d if present following the initial debridement. Conclusion: The data suggests that split thickness skin grafting can be a successful coverage technique for diabetic patients with chronic lower extremity wounds. The bacterial milieu of chronic wounds in diabetics is diverse but with excisional debridement these bacteria have little impact on wound healing after split-thickness skin grafting. However, comorbidities (i.e., congestive heart failure and venous stasis) can significantly impact the healing of skin grafts and should be taken into consideration when contemplating split thickness skin grafting in a diabetic patient. Disclosure E. Walters: None. G. Stimac: None. N. Rajpal: None. I. Naz: None. T. Elmarsafi: None. J. Steinberg: Consultant; Self; Acelity, Integra LifeSciences. K. Evans: None. C. Attinger: Consultant; Self; Acelity, Integra LifeSciences. P. Kim: Consultant; Self; Acelity, Integra LifeSciences.
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