Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1394: Dermoscopy as a Tool for Identifying Potentially Metastatic Thin Melanoma: A Clinical–Dermoscopic and Histopathological Case–Control Study

Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1394: Dermoscopy as a Tool for Identifying Potentially Metastatic Thin Melanoma: A Clinical–Dermoscopic and Histopathological Case–Control Study

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers16071394

Authors: Vincenzo De Giorgi Flavia Silvestri Giovanni Cecchi Federico Venturi Biancamaria Zuccaro Gabriella Perillo Federica Cosso Vincenza Maio Sara Simi Pietro Antonini Serena Pillozzi Lorenzo Antonuzzo Daniela Massi Laura Doni

Despite being early-stage tumors, thin cutaneous melanomas contribute significantly to mortality and have a rising incidence. A retrospective case–control study was performed to identify clinical–dermoscopic and histopathological variables linked to local and distant metastases in melanomas ≤0.8 mm. Data from 1 January 2000 to 22 June 2022 were analyzed from two Italian skin cancer referral centers. Sixteen patients with ≤0.8 mm melanomas developing metastases were studied compared to controls without metastases over 5 years. Statistical analysis involved Pearson’s chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test. Of the 1396 cases, 1.1% progressed. The median diagnosis age was 49 (range 28–83), with 56.3% men and 43.7% women. The torso was the primary tumor site (43.7%). Clinically, lesions were pigmented (>10 mm diameter: 73.3%, ≥3 colors: 80%). Dermoscopically, the common features were white patches (73.3%), atypical vascular patterns (66.5%), blue-gray areas (60%) and absent pigment networks (60%). Histopathologically, all cases had adverse features like regression (87.4%), dermal mitoses (50%), a vertical growth phase (62.5%) and ulceration (12.5%). These findings were statistically significant compared to controls (p < 0.05). In ≤0.8 mm melanomas, specific clinical–dermoscopic traits might indicate higher metastatic potential when paired with adverse histopathological features.