Dermoscopy as a Tool for Identifying Potentially Metastatic Thin Melanoma: A Clinical-Dermoscopic and Histopathological Case-Control Study

Despite being early-stage tumors, thin cutaneous melanomas contribute significantly to mortality and have a rising incidence. A retrospective case-control study was performed to identify clinical-dermoscopic and histopathological variables linked to local and distant metastases in melanomas ≤0.8 mm....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancers 2024-04, Vol.16 (7), p.1394
Main Authors: De Giorgi, Vincenzo, Silvestri, Flavia, Cecchi, Giovanni, Venturi, Federico, Zuccaro, Biancamaria, Perillo, Gabriella, Cosso, Federica, Maio, Vincenza, Simi, Sara, Antonini, Pietro, Pillozzi, Serena, Antonuzzo, Lorenzo, Massi, Daniela, Doni, Laura
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biopsy
Dermatology
Development and progression
Digital cameras
Health aspects
Medical prognosis
Melanoma
Metastases
Metastasis
Mitosis
Mortality
Patients
Skin
Skin cancer
Statistical analysis
Tumors
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Summary:Despite being early-stage tumors, thin cutaneous melanomas contribute significantly to mortality and have a rising incidence. A retrospective case-control study was performed to identify clinical-dermoscopic and histopathological variables linked to local and distant metastases in melanomas ≤0.8 mm. Data from 1 January 2000 to 22 June 2022 were analyzed from two Italian skin cancer referral centers. Sixteen patients with ≤0.8 mm melanomas developing metastases were studied compared to controls without metastases over 5 years. Statistical analysis involved Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test. Of the 1396 cases, 1.1% progressed. The median diagnosis age was 49 (range 28-83), with 56.3% men and 43.7% women. The torso was the primary tumor site (43.7%). Clinically, lesions were pigmented (>10 mm diameter: 73.3%, ≥3 colors: 80%). Dermoscopically, the common features were white patches (73.3%), atypical vascular patterns (66.5%), blue-gray areas (60%) and absent pigment networks (60%). Histopathologically, all cases had adverse features like regression (87.4%), dermal mitoses (50%), a vertical growth phase (62.5%) and ulceration (12.5%). These findings were statistically significant compared to controls ( < 0.05). In ≤0.8 mm melanomas, specific clinical-dermoscopic traits might indicate higher metastatic potential when paired with adverse histopathological features.
ISSN:2072-6694
2072-6694
DOI:10.3390/cancers16071394