Week's top dermatology reads include primary systemic cancers in patients with melanoma

Study results finding that gastrointestinal cancer was the most common other primary systemic cancer in patients with melanoma was the most read-article of the past week on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other widely read articles included the announced approval of the $160 billion merger between Pfizer and Allergan, and the FDA granting regular approval for Tafinlar plus Mekinist for treating patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma.

Gastrointestinal, lung, breast and thyroid were other primary cancers associated with melanoma

Gastrointestinal cancer was the most common other primary systemic cancer in patients with melanoma, according to recently published study results.

Researchers conducted statistical analyses of primary cancers in 452 patients (mean age, 64.4 years; 54% female) identified in a registry of Korean hospitals between Jan. 1, 1994 and Dec. 31, 2013. Read more

Pfizer, Allergan to combine in $160 billion deal

Pfizer and Allergan announced today that their boards of directors have approved a definitive merger agreement in which Pfizer will combine with Allergan.

Under the proposal, the businesses of Pfizer and Allergan will be combined under Allergan plc, which will be renamed Pfizer plc. Read more

FDA approves Tafinlar/Mekinist for BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma based on long-term survival

Novartis announced in a press release that the FDA has given regular approval for Tafinlar plus Mekinist for treating patients with BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

The combination of Tafinlar (dabrafenib), a BRAF inhibitor, and Mekinist (trametinib), a MEK 1/2 inhibitor, is the first targeted therapy combination that demonstrated more than 2 years overall survival in patients with the aggressive form of skin cancer, according to the release. Read more

Patients, physicians emphasize pain, function over skin conditions when evaluating psoriatic arthritis

Patients and rheumatologists place more emphasis on pain and functional activity compared with skin symptoms when measuring the global status of psoriatic arthritis, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting.

Researchers assessed the agreement between patient and physician global assessment (GA) of disease activity and compared the correlation of the two with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) in patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with Remicade (infliximab, Janssen). Read more

Botox, Dysport equally effective in treating melomental folds

There was no statistically significant difference in the treatment of melomental folds with Botox compared with Dysport, with both treated sides showing relatively equal improvement, according to study results.

Sabrina G. Fabi

Sabrina G. Fabi, MD, and colleagues conducted a single-center study of 20 women (mean age, 56.4 years) with moderate-to-severe melomental folds at rest. Read more