Periodontal disease seems to be correlated with low vitamin D serum levels, preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW), although the literature still lacks a consensus. This study aimed to investigate this correlation in a cohort of pregnant women over 20 weeks of gestation from the University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy. We assessed serum levels of vitamin D and oral health status through the following indexes: Oral Hygiene Index (OHI), Plaque Control Record (PCR), Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI), and Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPTIN). Moreover, we assessed the number of PTB and LBW among the newborns. Out of 121 pregnant women recruited, 72 (mean age 29.91 ± 3.64 years) were included. There was a statistically significant correlation between preterm and OHI > 3 (p = 0.033), and between LBW and OHI > 3 (p = 0.005) and CPITN = 3 (p = 0.027). Both pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency ((25-hydroxy-vitamin D) < 30 ng/mL) and PTB plus LBW newborns were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with poor levels of all oral health status indexes during pregnancy. Furthermore, these conditions (women with hypovitaminosis D and combination of PTB and LBW) were shown to be significantly correlated (p < 0.001). Taken together, our findings reported a high prevalence of PTB and LBW with poor oral health and vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women.

Malignant melanoma is a fatal disease that affects all skin sites. Among these, vulvar melanoma (VM) is a rare gynecological condition that accounts for 5% of all vulvar neoplasms. VM primarily affects older Caucasian women and its relationship to sun exposure is undefined. Diagnosis is defined by biopsy but many clinical, dermatoscopic, and confocal microscopic features can guide doctors. The molecular profile is characterized by the KIT mutation, revealed by all of the technologies that are used (classical sequencing, next-generation sequencing, and immunohistochemical staining). BRAF and NRAS mutations are also common in VM. All of these mutations are possible therapeutic targets. Today, surgery remains the first treatment choice for primary VM. The role of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy is scarce and the treatment of relapses is widely debated.

Background: Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer testis antigen (CTA) identified in 1997 through analysis of the specificity of tumor-reactive T-cell clones derived from a patient with metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Although at first it seemed even more specific, various studies have shown that PRAME can also be expressed in the context of atypical lesions that do not correspond solely to the definition of malignant melanoma. Methods: A systematic review of English articles was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: 126 records were identified in the literature search, of which 9 were duplicates. After screening for eligibility and inclusion criteria, 53 publications were included. Conclusions: The advent of a new marker such as PRAME is surely a step forward not only in the diagnostic approach, but also in the immunotherapeutic approach to MM. However, various studies have shown that PRAME can also be expressed in the context of atypical lesions apart from MM and, for this reason, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity (hence accuracy) are clearly lower. Further studies with larger case series will be necessary to understand better what possibilities are offered in terms of diagnostic reliability by PRAME.