title: Psoriasis in melanoma patients: a prospective pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma is an immunogenic tumor and the presence of T-cell infiltrates within melanoma lesions may correlated with longer patient survival. Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease, in which the role of T-cells is well established. The aim of our prospective pilot study was to investigate the relationship between melanoma and psoriasis examining 3 groups of patients: the melanoma-group (MG), the psoriasis-group (PG) and the control-group (CG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Every patient underwent detailed anamnestic and clinical examination. Moreover, gene expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was analyzed in all groups and in subjects affected by both melanoma and psoriasis (MP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Melanoma patients showed a lower frequency of psoriasis and positive family history (FH) of psoriasis respect to CG. Moreover, psoriatic patients presented fewer MN, and lower frequency of positive FH of melanoma than CG. IL-6 and IFN-γ were significantly increased in PG and reduced in MG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose a provocative hypothesis of a possible protective role of psoriasis for melanoma development.
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Megna
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy - maddy.napolitano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balato
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scalvenzi
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DI Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DI Caprio
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Cataldo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patruno
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma