Preoperative evaluation of melanoma thickness by dermatoscopy

Preoperative evaluation of melanoma thickness using dermatoscopy has been published in only few studies in the world, and it is done only experimentally. In daily praxis, none of the published methods is applicable. Great importance for preoperative determination of tumor thickness lies in the fact that surgical margins and sentinel node biopsies are determined only by melanoma thickness (reported as Breslow index). As the skin is semitransparent medium, the two borders, i.e. depth of the skin, were investigated in this study: 0.75 mm and 1.0 mm. Combining clinical (tumor elevation, longer diameter and surface area) and dermatoscopical characteristics (network, hypopigmentations, streaks) of 40 melanoma, we constructed an algorithm for prediction of melanoma thickness. Concerning melanoma thickness less than 0.75 mm, in 83.3% cases correct pre-operative assessment of melanoma thickness was done using the given clinical and dermoscopic criteria. In melanoma equal or thicker than 1.0 mm in 87.5% of cases it is possible to make a correct pre-operative assessment of melanoma thickness using the given clinical and dermoscopic criteria. The model of clinical-dermoscopic melanoma thickness assessment is extremely applicable and reproducible model in practice; does not require expensive devices, additional examinations or long experience in dermoscopy, thus being applicable in various centers where melanoma is treated. Danijela D. Dobrosavljević Vukojević ▪ Preoperative evaluation of melanoma thickness by dermatoscopy Рад примљен: 17.10.2016. Paper received: 10/17/2016 Рад прихваћен: 14.12.2016. Paper accepted: 12/14/2016