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Melanoma Diagnosis (melanoma + diagnosis)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Melanoma diagnosis: Australian dermatologists' number needed to treat

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Alvin LK Chia
SUMMARY A retrospective audit of melanoma clinical diagnoses was undertaken for a group of 35 Australian dermatologists. This was compared with the histological diagnoses. In a 1-year period, 195 of the 686 clinically suspicious lesions were histologically confirmed as melanoma. Therefore, the number needed to treat for histological referrals for melanoma is four for this group of dermatologists. In addition, we found that the sensitivity for the diagnosis of melanoma was 89.1% if we consider all lesions that are possibly clinically suspicious of melanoma. Our results suggest that the clinical diagnosis of melanoma may not be difficult for lesions that are clinically characteristic. [source]

Melanoma in private practice: Do dermatologists make a difference?

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Paul Cherian
ABSTRACT Malignant melanoma is a major contributor to Australian morbidity and mortality. In this era of resource rationalisation, we seek to address the issue of whether routine full-skin examination by a dermatologist, rather than focussed examination of flagged lesions, will increase melanoma diagnosis. A retrospective chart review was undertaken between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008 in a private dermatology group practice in order to ascertain the number and characteristics of incidentally detected melanomas on routine skin examination. A total of 94 melanomas were detected during this 12-month period. Of these, 57 (60.6%) were incidentally detected by the dermatologist, 41 (71.9%) were in situ melanomas and 16 (28.1%) were invasive melanoma. Of the invasive lesions, 15 (94%) were ,thin' (less than 1.0 mm Breslow thickness). The majority of melanomas were found in men, and were distributed in areas of high cumulative sun exposure. Nine (9.6%) lesions were clinically misdiagnosed by the dermatologists and picked up on histopathology. This audit reaffirms the usefulness of routine full-skin examination by dermatologists in detecting de novo melanoma as part of the global strategy in reducing the burden of melanoma in Australia. [source]

The most common challenges in melanoma diagnosis and how to avoid them

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Ashfaq A Marghoob
SUMMARY Due to its particularly lethal nature and tendency to affect relatively young individuals, the timely diagnosis of melanoma remains of paramount importance for clinicians and their patients. Unfortunately, melanomas can mimic benign lesions that are overwhelmingly more common in the population than are melanomas, and misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis of melanoma can occur. Misdiagnosis of melanoma serves as one of the most common causes for malpractice litigation brought against medical practitioners. In this review we describe seven clinical scenarios that represent challenges in melanoma diagnosis and discuss potential strategies for avoiding the errors that commonly give rise to those scenarios. [source]

The use of a spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis device in the real-time diagnosis of melanoma in the setting of a melanoma screening clinic

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2007
M.A. Haniffa
Summary Background, Skin imaging devices to aid melanoma diagnosis have been developed in recent years but few have been assessed clinically. Objectives, To investigate if a spectrophotometric skin imaging device, the SIAscope, could increase a dermatologist's ability to distinguish melanoma from nonmelanoma in a melanoma screening clinic. Methods, Eight hundred and eighty-one pigmented lesions from 860 patients were prospectively assessed clinically and with the aid of the spectrophotometric device by a dermatologist. Assessment before and after spectrophotometric imaging was made and compared with histology, where available, or with the clinical diagnosis of a dermatologist with 20 years of experience. Results, One hundred and seventy-nine biopsies were performed, with 31 melanomas diagnosed. Sensitivity and specificity for melanoma diagnosis before and after spectrophotometry were 94% and 91% vs. 87% and 91%, respectively, with no significant difference in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (0·932 and 0·929). Conclusions, Our study provides no evidence for the use of SIAscope by dermatologists to help distinguish melanoma from benign lesions. [source]

Pattern analysis, not simplified algorithms, is the most reliable method for teaching dermoscopy for melanoma diagnosis to residents in dermatology

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
A. Blum
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Which is the most reliable method for teaching dermoscopy for melanoma diagnosis to residents in dermatology?

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
G. Argenziano
No abstract is available for this article. [source]