Premium
Changes observed in slow‐growing melanomas during long‐term dermoscopic monitoring
Author(s) -
Terushkin V.,
Dusza S.W.,
Scope A.,
Argenziano G.,
Bahadoran P.,
Cowell L.,
De Giorgi V.,
Ferrara G.,
Kittler H.,
Malvehy J.,
Menzies S.,
Piccolo D.,
Puig S.,
Rubegni P.,
Stanganelli I.,
Thomas L.,
Zalaudek I.,
Marghoob A.A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2012.10846.x
Subject(s) - term (time) , medicine , dermatology , physics , quantum mechanics
Summary Background Melanomas vary in growth rate from rapidly developing nodular melanomas to slow‐growing melanomas (SGM) that hardly change over years. Objectives To evaluate longitudinal changes in dermoscopic findings of SGM. Methods We retrospectively analysed a dermoscopic image dataset from 15 pigmented lesion clinics, of SGM that were followed sequentially by digital dermoscopy for at least 1 year. We evaluated baseline and follow‐up images for changes in global pattern, organization, colours, structure and size. Results Our series consisted of 92 SGM. On follow‐up, these melanomas developed the following dermoscopic findings: more homogeneous and less reticular global dermoscopic pattern; more frequent disorganization of pattern (baseline, 67% vs. follow‐up, 79%); decreased prominence of light brown colour, increased prominence of dark brown colour, and increased frequency of the colours red, white, grey, blue and black (baseline: 29%, 3%, 18%, 6% and 33% vs. follow‐up: 41%, 10%, 31%, 13% and 45%, respectively); decrease in prominence of dermoscopic structure of pigmented network, with a concomitant increase in prominence of structureless areas; and increased prominence or new appearance of melanoma‐specific dermoscopic structures, including negative network, blue–white structures and blotches. The majority of lesions (75%) remained the same size or grew by < 2 mm in diameter. An increase in lesion size was associated with change in the total number of colours and structures (χ 2 = 14·3, P = 0·027) at follow‐up. Conclusions While their diameter changed minimally over time, most SGM became more disorganized, revealed loss of network in favour of structureless areas, and developed new colours.