Browsing by Author "Diaz, Michael J."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A Review of Current and Pipeline Drugs for Treatment of Melanoma
    (MDPI, 2024-02-07) Natarelli, Nicole; Aleman, Sarah J.; Mark, Isabella M.; Tran, Jasmine T.; Kwak, Sean; Botto, Elizabeth; Aflatooni, Shaliz; Diaz, Michael J.; Lipner, Shari R.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Combining these modalities often yields better responses. Surgery is suitable for localized cases, sometimes involving lymph node dissection and biopsy, to assess the spread of the disease. Radiation therapy may be sometimes used as a standalone treatment or following surgical excision. Systemic chemotherapy, while having low response rates, is utilized as part of combination treatments or when other methods fail. The development of resistance to systemic chemotherapies and associated side effects have prompted further research and clinical trials for novel approaches. In the case of advanced-stage melanoma, a comprehensive approach may be necessary, incorporating targeted therapies and immunotherapies that demonstrate significant antitumor activity. Targeted therapies, including inhibitors targeting BRAF, MEK, c-KIT, and NRAS, are designed to block the specific molecules responsible for tumor growth. These therapies show promise, particularly in patients with corresponding mutations. Combination therapy, including BRAF and MEK inhibitors, has been evidenced to improve progression-free survival; however, concerns about resistance and cutaneous toxicities highlight the need for close monitoring. Immunotherapies, leveraging tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CAR T cells, enhance immune responses. Lifileucel, an FDA-approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, has demonstrated improved response rates in advanced-stage melanoma. Ongoing trials continue to explore the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy for advanced melanoma. Checkpoint inhibitors targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1 have enhanced outcomes. Emerging IL-2 therapies boost dendritic cells, enhancing anticancer immunity. Oncolytic virus therapy, approved for advanced melanoma, augments treatment efficacy in combination approaches. While immunotherapy has significantly advanced melanoma treatment, its success varies, prompting research into new drugs and factors influencing outcomes. This review provides insights into current melanoma treatments and recent therapeutic advances.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Association between alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis: A nested case-control study of the All of Us database
    (Elsevier, 2023) Diaz, Michael J.; Haq, Zaim; Abdi, Parsa; Tran, Jasmine T.; Guttman-Yassky, Emma; Ungar, Benjamin; Dermatology, School of Medicine
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Cutaneous Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Diagnosis and Treatment
    (MDPI, 2023-10-10) Diaz, Michael J.; Natarelli, Nicole; Wei, Aria; Rechdan, Michaela; Botto, Elizabeth; Tran, Jasmine T.; Forouzandeh, Mahtab; Plaza, Jose A.; Kaffenberger, Benjamin H.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammatory arthritis and periarticular structural damage. Available evidence suggests that RA results from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility (e.g., HLA-DRB1), environmental factors (e.g., smoking), and immune dysregulation. Alongside joint-related symptoms, individuals with RA may also experience a wide array of skin issues, including the development of nodules, neutrophilic dermatoses, vasculitis, and vasculopathy. Treatment strategies for these manifestations vary but routinely involve corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and biologics, with individualized approaches guided by disease severity. In this review, we provide comprehensive insights into the skin-related issues associated with RA, outlining their clinical characteristics and histopathological findings. Our aim is to facilitate early diagnosis and personalized treatment to improve the quality of life of affected individuals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Primary and Metastatic Cutaneous Melanomas Discriminately Enrich Several Ligand-Receptor Interactions
    (MDPI, 2023-01-08) Diaz, Michael J.; Fadil, Angela; Tran, Jasmine T.; Batchu, Sai; Root, Kevin T.; Tran, Andrew X.; Lucke-Wold, Brandon; Dermatology, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Cutaneous melanoma remains a leading cancer with sobering post-metastasis mortality rates. To date, the ligand-receptor interactome of melanomas remains weakly studied despite applicability to anti-cancer drug discovery. Here we leverage established crosstalk methodologies to characterize important ligand-receptor pairs in primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Methods: Bulk transcriptomic data, representing 470 cutaneous melanoma samples, was retrieved from the Broad Genome Data Analysis Center Firehose portal. Tumor and stroma compartments were computationally derived as a function of tumor purity estimates. Identification of preferential ligand-receptor interactions was achieved by relative crosstalk scoring of 1380 previously established pairs. Results: Metastatic cutaneous melanoma uniquely enriched PTH2-PTH1R for tumor-to-stroma signaling. The Human R-spondin ligand family was involved in 4 of the 15 top-scoring stroma-to-tumor interactions. Receptor ACVR2B was involved in 3 of the 15 top-scoring tumor-to-tumor interactions. Conclusions: Numerous gene-level differences in ligand-receptor crosstalk between primary and metastatic cutaneous melanomas. Further investigation of notable pairings is warranted.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Psoriasis and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in a diverse sample of US adults: a propensity matched case-control study
    (Elsevier, 2024-03-05) Diaz, Michael J.; Haq, Zaim; Tran, Jasmine T.; Abdi, Parsa; Motaparthi, Kiran; Grant-Kels, Jane M.; Montanez-Wiscovich, Marjorie E.; Dermatology, School of Medicine