Review article

Melanoma – Clinical, Dermatoscopical, and Histopathological Morphological Characteristics

Mirna Šitum
Marija Buljan
Maja Kolić
Majda Vučić

Abstract

Melanoma is one of the most malignant skin tumours with the constant rise in its incidence worldwide, especially in white populations. Melanoma is usually diagnosed at the average age of 50 years. However, in the last decades, it is more frequently diagnosed in younger adults, and very rarely in children. There is no unique or specific clinical presentation of melanoma. Clinical presentation of melanoma varies depending on the anatomic localization and the type of growth, namely the histopathologic type. There are four major histopathologic types of melanoma – superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma and acral lentiginous melanoma. Dermatoscopy is very useful tool in the early melanoma detection however, dermatoscopic features of melanoma are also variable. Therefore, experience and education in dermatoscopy is crucial in the evaluation of skin tumours. Differential diagnosis of melanoma includes a wide range of benign and malignant skin lesions due to its clinical presentation and resemblance with various dermatological entities. In this review, authors are presenting the most important aspects of clinical, dermatoscopical and histopathologic features of melanoma.

Keywords

melanoma; clinical characteristics; histopathological characteristics; dermatoscopy

Hrčak ID:

121302

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/121302

Publication date:

15.5.2014.

Visits: 3.998 *