Showing papers by "Jean-Jacques Grob published in 1993"
TL;DR: The results show that a large number of highly sensitive children were not identified as such by their parents and most adolescents do not realize or at least admit being highly sun sensitive and only good sun protection habits of the mother were predictive of acceptable sun exposure in children.
Abstract: Excessive sun exposure in the first 15 years of life has been shown to be a determinant risk factor for melanoma. This study was conducted on a randomly selected sample of 200 adolescents (13–14 years old) and 150 children (3 years old) in Marseille (South of France). Children and adolescents were examined and interviewed (mothers answered for young children). Our results show that a large number of highly sensitive children were not identified as such by their parents and most adolescents do not realize or at least admit being highly sun sensitive. Adequate sun protection measures were used in only 63% of 3-year-olds and 38% of adolescents. With reference to their constitutional skin sensitivity and taking into account their possible use of effective sun protection measures, 33% of the children and 62% of the adolescents were highly overexposed. Only good sun protection habits of the mother were predictive of acceptable sun exposure in children. In the adolescents the predictive variables were sun protection habits of the father and sunbathing only to obtain a tan. The main reason why adolescents sunbathed was embellishment. Conversely, most mothers said that they exposed their young children to the sun for health. Many adolescents and mothers were reasonably well informed but considered the risk of sun exposure to be exaggerated by the media. These results may be important to determine the targets of future melanoma prevention campaigns.
111 citations
TL;DR: It appears likely that cells expressing the tyrosinase gene are present in a wide range of human tissues, although these cells still have to be accurately identified, one could propose that they might correspond to either fully differentiated melanocytes, melanocytic precursors, or Schwann cells bearing potentialities of melanocytical differentiation.
Abstract: The occasional occurrence of primary extra-cutaneous malignant melanomas (MM) has led to the hypothesis that melanocytes derived from the neural crest may be arrested in their migration and may undergo an in situ malignant transformation. However, aggregates of nevus cells have only rarely been identified by histological examination in a few organs other than skin and eye. Tyrosinase is a melanin biosynthetic enzyme that is considered one of the most specific markers of melanocytic differentiation. We have attempted to detect cells committed to the melanocytic lineage, in human tissues, by means of tyrosinase gene expression. Total RNA was extracted from normal and neoplastic tissues and analyzed using a highly sensitive reverse transcription PCR assay with primers specific for the tyrosinase gene. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy subjects were used as negative controls. Tyrosinase transcripts were identified in a wide range of normal organs such as skin, lymph nodes, antrum, colon, kidney, lung, testis, ovary, breast, and peripheral nerve. Tyrosinase RNA was also detected in neoplastic samples including benign cutaneous nevi, lymph nodes involved by MM, breast carcinoma, liposarcoma, malignant lymphoma, and schwannoma. PBMC from patients with metastatic MM were also positive, while no positivity was detected in blood specimens from patients with other cancers. Therefore, it appears likely that cells expressing the tyrosinase gene are present in a wide range of human tissues. Although these cells still have to be accurately identified, one could propose that they might correspond to either fully differentiated melanocytes, melanocytic precursors, or Schwann cells bearing potentialities of melanocytic differentiation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
69 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that this treatment hastens healing and limits scarring in giant keratoacanthomas.
Abstract: Background: Spontaneous involution of giant keratoacanthomas (KAs) can leave large scars or cause mutilation. Human papillomaviruses have recently been demonstrated in KAs. Intralesional interferon alfa-2a (IFN alfa-2a) has been shown to have activity against different epithelial tumors and to have an antiviral effect. Objective: This study was conducted to determine whether it was possible to stop extension of large KAs, to accelerate healing, and to obtain good cosmetic results with intralesional IFN alfa-2a. Methods: Six large KAs were treated with intralesional IFN alfa-2a. Results: Regression was obtained in five cases in 3 to 7 weeks with excellent cosmetic results. The main side effect was pain during injection. Conclusion: Our results suggest that this treatment hastens healing and limits scarring.
52 citations
TL;DR: The number of nevi at the end of the second decade is influenced by cumulative sun exposure from birth and "Traumatizing" sun exposure has an influence on the number of large nevi and is therefore likely to make small nevi grow.
Abstract: Background: These studies were designed to assess the influence of sun exposure on nevi in white people. To eliminate the confounding effect of age, sex, and phenotype, two parallel studies were conducted on people of the same age (17 to 24 years; median, 20 years old), sex (male), and phenotype: one in people with "red" phenotype (red or red-blond hair, white complexion on the inner part of the arm, and inability to tan) and one in people with "dark" phenotype (brown or black hair, dark complexion on the inner part of the arm, absence of freckles, and easy tanning without burning). Results: In both groups, comparison of nevus counts on the inner and outer side of the upper extremities and comparison of mean density of nevi (number per square meter) in always-exposed and never-exposed skin show that the number of nevi is higher in sun-exposed areas. The density of large and atypical nevi was maximal on intermittently sun-exposed skin while the density of small nevi was maximal on always-exposed skin. The number of large nevi on intermittently exposed skin correlated with cumulative intensive exposure during beach recreation in the red phenotype group. The number of large nevi was significantly higher in red phenotypes who repeatedly experienced severe sunburns in their first 20 years of life. Conclusions: The number of nevi at the end of the second decade is influenced by cumulative sun exposure from birth. "Traumatizing" sun exposure, which is more frequent in the red phenotype than in the dark phenotype, has an influence on the number of large nevi and is therefore likely to make small nevi grow. ( Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:1280-1285)
43 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Topical corticosteroid therapy dramatically improved the lesions and skin biopsy revealed non specific inflammation as usually, but also showed spongiform pustule formations which had not previously been described.
Abstract: Nous rapportons un cas de dermatose erosive et pustuleuse du cuir chevelu. Les lesions ulcero-crouteuses et pustuleuses etaient confinees au vertex et le bilan complementaire a la recherche d'une maladie infectieuse, autoimmune, vasculaire ou tumorale susceptible de donner un aspect clinique similaire a ete negatif. L'histologie mettait en evidence des aspects d'inflammation non specifique comme cela est classique mais montrait en outre que les pustules qui font partie integrante du tableau clinique, etaient spongiformes, cette notion n'ayant pas ete rapportee dans la litterature. Notre malade a ete remarquablement ameliore par la corticotherapie locale qui est le meilleur traitement actuel de cette dermatose
7 citations