The Role of Digital Dermoscopy and Follow-Up in the Detection of Amelanotic/Hypomelanotic Melanoma in a Group of High-Risk Patients-Is It Useful?

• Published in: Life (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-09, Vol.14 (9), p.1200
• Main Authors: Jurakić Tončić, Ružica, Vasari, Lara, Štulhofer Buzina, Daška, Ledić Drvar, Daniela, Petković, Mikela, Čeović, Romana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; amelanotic melanoma; Diagnosis; digital dermoscopy; Digital photography; follow-up; high-risk patients; hypomelanotic melanoma; Inflammatory diseases; Lesions; Melanoma; Mutation; Patients; Photography; Review; Risk groups; Skin; Skin cancer; Skin diseases; Surveillance; Tumors
• ISSN: 2075-1729; 2075-1729
• DOI: 10.3390/life14091200

The prognosis, outcome, and overall survival of melanoma patients improve with early diagnosis which has been facilitated in the past few decades with the introduction of dermoscopy. Further advancements in dermoscopic research, coupled with skilled, educated dermatologists in dermoscopy, have contributed to timely diagnoses. However, detecting amelanotic and hypomelanotic melanoma remains a challenge even to the most skilled experts because these melanomas can mimic inflammatory diseases, numerous benign lesions, and non-melanoma skin cancers. The list of the possible differential diagnoses can be long. Melanoma prediction without the pigment relies only on vascular criteria, and all classic dermoscopic algorithms have failed to fulfill our expectations. In fact, the diagnosis of amelanotic and hypomelanotic melanomas is very challenging, which is why every tool in detecting these lesions is of significance. This review aims to explore the current knowledge and the literature on the possibility of detecting amelanotic/hypomelanotic melanomas using sequential monitoring with digital dermoscopy and total body skin photography.