Insights into Melanoma Clinical Practice: A Perspective for Future Research

Background: Early diagnosis is the key to improving outcomes for patients with melanoma, and this requires a standardized histological assessment approach. The objective of this survey was to understand the challenges faced by clinicians when assessing melanoma cases, and to provide a perspective fo...

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Published in:Cancers 2023-09, Vol.15 (18), p.4631
Main Authors: Lam, Giang T., Martini, Carmela, Brooks, Tiffany, Prabhakaran, Sarita, Hopkins, Ashley M., Ung, Ben S.-Y., Tang, Jingying, Caruso, Maria C., Brooks, Robert D., Johnson, Ian R. D., Sorvina, Alexandra, Hickey, Shane M., Karageorgos, Litsa, Klebe, Sonja, O’Leary, John J., Brooks, Douglas A., Logan, Jessica M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomarkers
Clinical medicine
Cohort analysis
Decision making
Dermatology
Diagnosis
Ethics
Immunohistochemistry
Melanoma
Precision medicine
Skin cancer
Sox10 protein
Surveys
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Summary:Background: Early diagnosis is the key to improving outcomes for patients with melanoma, and this requires a standardized histological assessment approach. The objective of this survey was to understand the challenges faced by clinicians when assessing melanoma cases, and to provide a perspective for future studies. Methods: Between April 2022 and February 2023, national and international dermatologists, pathologists, general practitioners, and laboratory managers were invited to participate in a six-question online survey. The data from the survey were assessed using descriptive statistics and qualitative responses. Results: A total of 54 responses were received, with a 51.4% (n = 28) full completion rate. Of the respondents, 96.4% reported ambiguity in their monthly melanoma diagnosis, and 82.1% routinely requested immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing to confirm diagnosis. SOX10 was the most frequently requested marker, and most respondents preferred multiple markers over a single marker. Diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as therapeutic options and patient management, were all identified as important areas for future research. Conclusions: The respondents indicated that the use of multiple IHC markers is essential to facilitate diagnostic accuracy in melanoma assessment. Survey responses indicate there is an urgent need to develop new biomarkers for clinical decision making at multiple critical intervention points.
ISSN:2072-6694
2072-6694
DOI:10.3390/cancers15184631