Arjen Nikkels. Melanoma from Clinical Diagnosis to digitized Dermoscopy
LE MÉLANOME : DU DIAGNOSTIC CLINIQUE A LA DERMOSCOPIE DIGIALISÉE
(en anglais)
Melanoma is a malignant melanocytic tumor of the skin with metastatic potential. Despite the recent arrival of new drugs allowing increased survival rates, the prognosis of metastatic melanoma remains highly pejorative. In contrast, the prognosis is much more favorable for small lesions (less than 1mm). Hence, rapid recognition of melanoma is crucial, as are photoprotection and education of the population for self examination. Adequate learning programs should furthermore be extended to medical students, primary care physicians and other health care providers, but also to beauticians and hairdressers.
Various clinical diagnostic algorythms, of variable complexity and usability, are used today, of which the ABCDE rule is the most representative. Different diagnostic aides, such as dermoscopy, cryoscopy and digitalized dermoscopy have become avaible and are teached in the learning programs of dermatology residents. More recently, diagnostic aides for the public based on picture analysis of suspected skin lesions became availble as apps for hand held smartphones.
This presentation resumes the value of these different diagnostic methods and their places in the daily management of suspected skin lesions.
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