Dermoscopy May Be More Accurate vs Incisional Biopsy for Melanoma Thickness
Source: AJMC, September 2022
In this new study, investigators searched for potential predictors of melanoma thickness, with implications for treatment decisions regarding biopsy and excision margins.
The use of dermoscopy in the disease course of malignant melanoma proved to be more accurate for diagnosing melanoma thickness compared with incisional biopsy, with the latter method carrying higher risks of understaging and inaccurate margin definition, according to the findings of an observational cross-sectional study published recently in Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.
“Melanoma thickness is a relevant prognostic marker that is crucial for staging, and its calculation relies on the histopathological examination,” the study authors wrote. “There is a risk of thickness underestimation with an incisional biopsy if the latter is not performed on a tumor area where the thickness is maximal.”