Alessia Villani

Dr. Alessia Villani


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

11Years (2016-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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26 December 2016 in Dermatology and Therapy
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MMMatteo Megna
Matteo Megna
Maddalena NapolitanoMaddalena Napolitano
Maddalena Napolitano
Cataldo PatrunoCataldo Patruno
Cataldo Patruno
AVAlessia Villani
Alessia Villani
ABAnna Balato
Anna Balato
NBNicola Balato
Nicola Balato
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that predominantly affects children. However, it can persist in adulthood and/or start at older ages. Due to its chronic nature and frequently occurring relapses, AD has a substantial effect on patients' quality of life, often requiring long-term systemic treatment, especially in adult patients, who are more frequently refractory to adequate topical treatment with mid- to high-potent corticosteroids and/or calcineurin inhibitors. Therefore, treatment with systemic therapies is often needed to take control of the disease, prevent exacerbations and improve quality of life. However, data regarding systemic treatment effectiveness and long-term safety in adult patients with AD are insufficient. Indeed, standardized international guidelines are lacking, and the treatment approach widely differs among diverse countries. This review focuses on the use of systemic treatments in adult AD patients analyzing published literature.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AVAlessia Villani
Alessia Villani
LPLuca Potestio
Luca Potestio
Gabriella FabbrociniGabriella Fabbrocini
Gabriella Fabbrocini
Giancarlo TronconeGiancarlo Troncone
Giancarlo Troncone
UMUmberto Malapelle
Umberto Malapelle
MSMassimiliano Scalvenzi
Massimiliano Scalvenzi
Cutaneous melanoma is the main cause of death for skin cancer. The majority of patients with a diagnosis of melanoma have localized disease, which can be successfully treated with surgical treatment. However, the surgical approach is not curative for advanced melanoma (AM). Indeed, the management of AM is still challenging, since melanoma is the solid tumor with the highest number of mutations and cancer cells have the capacity to evade the immune system. In the past, the treatment of AM relied on chemotherapeutic agents, without showing efficacy data. Recent knowledge on melanoma pathogenesis as well as the introduction of immunotherapies, targeted therapies vaccines, small molecules, and combination therapies has revolutionized AM management, showing promising results in terms of effectiveness and safety. The aim of this review is to assess and to discuss the role of emerging therapies for AM management in order to obtain a complete overview of the currently available treatment options and future perspectives.

16 April 2016 in Dermatology and Therapy
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Maddalena NapolitanoMaddalena Napolitano
Maddalena Napolitano
MMMatteo Megna
Matteo Megna
ABAnna Balato
Anna Balato
FAFabio Ayala
Fabio Ayala
SLSerena Lembo
Serena Lembo
NBNicola Balato
Nicola Balato
Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory skin disease, affecting 1–3% of the white population. Although the existence of two psoriasis incidence peaks has been suggested (one in adolescence before 20 years of age and another in adulthood), its onset may occur at any age, including childhood and adolescence, in which the incidence is now estimated at 40.8 per 100,000. As for adult psoriasis, pediatric psoriasis has recently been associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, increased waist circumference percentiles and metabolic laboratory abnormalities, warranting early monitoring and lifestyle modifications. In addition, due to psoriasis' chronic nature and frequently occurring relapses, psoriatic patients tend to have an impaired quality of life, often requiring long-term treatment. Therefore, education of both pediatric patients and their parents is essential to successful and safe disease management. Given the lack of officially approved therapies, the very limited evidence-based data from randomized controlled trials, and the absence of standardized guidelines, to date, pediatric psoriasis treatment is primarily based on published case reports, case series, guidelines for adult psoriasis, expert opinions and experience with these drugs in other pediatric disorders coming from the disciplines of rheumatology, gastroenterology and oncology. This review focuses on the use of systemic treatments in pediatric psoriasis and their specific features, analyzing the few literature evidences available, expanding the treatment repertoire and guiding dermatologists in better managing of recalcitrant pediatric psoriasis.

3 March 2021 in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
AVAlessia Villani
Alessia Villani
GFG. Fabbrocini
G. Fabbrocini
JOJ. Ocampo‐Candiani
J. Ocampo‐Candiani
ARAngelo Ruggiero
Angelo Ruggiero
Sonia Sofía Ocampo-GarzaSonia Sofía Ocampo-Garza
Sonia Sofía Ocampo-Garza

28 February 2019 in Dermatology and Therapy
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AVAlessia Villani
Alessia Villani
GFGabriella Fabbrocini
Gabriella Fabbrocini
CCClaudia Costa
Claudia Costa
MAMaria Carmela Annunziata
Maria Carmela Annunziata
MSMassimiliano Scalvenzi
Massimiliano Scalvenzi
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer whose incidence has almost doubled in recent decades. Risk factors for MCC include age > 65 years, immunosuppression, sun exposure and infection by Merkel cell polyomavirus. MCC usually presents as rapidly growing, firm, red to violaceous nodule localized on the sun-exposed skin. Surgery followed by radiation therapy is considered to be the first-line treatment for primary or loco-regional MCC in order to prevent recurrences and lymph node metastasis, while chemotherapy has always been used to treat advanced forms. However, responses to chemotherapy are mostly of short duration, and the associated clinical benefit on overall survival is still unclear. The use of checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) has shown good results in the treatment of advanced MCC and, consequently, CPIs are considered emerging immunotherapeutic options for these patients, although there are still no standardized treatments for patients with metastatic disease. Here we present a complete overview of the different possibilities for the treatment of MCC according to the stage of the disease, focusing on the emerging immunotherapies used for treating advanced MCC.

13 April 2020 in Journal of Dermatological Treatment
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
AVAlessia Villani
Alessia Villani
MSMassimiliano Scalvenzi
Massimiliano Scalvenzi
GFGabriella Fabbrocini
Gabriella Fabbrocini
Teledermatology: a useful tool to fight COVID-19. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Accepted 27 March 2020.