Research summary: Epidemic of melanoma overdiagnosis

This month we revisit the topic of “is a melanoma really a melanoma, and does it really matter?”.

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In the freely available, high-quality journal Dermatology Practical and Conceptual – via the International Dermoscopy Society – we find five fantastic papers from key leaders in the field, who explore this key topic.

It is now clear that we do have an “epidemic” of melanoma overdiagnosis, and that the reasons are quite complex and multifactorial.

It is also quite clear that the single word “melanoma” makes reference to a wide array of different lesions, with very different biological activity.

The difference to the patient between a rapidly growing, aggressive nodular melanoma and a slow-growing, even indolent melanoma in situ is very large and very real.

These five short papers are well-written and well worth reading.

1. OVERDIAGNOSIS IN MELANOMA SCREENING: IS IT A REAL PROBLEM?
   
   
2. OVERDIAGNOSIS OF MELANOMA: IS IT A REAL PROBLEM?
   
   
3. OVERDIAGNOSIS, OVERTREATMENT OR OVERSURVEILLANCE OF MELANOMA: IS THERE A WAY OUT?
   
   
4. MELANOMA OVERDIAGNOSIS: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND THE PATH FORWARD
   
   
5. HOW TO COMBAT OVERDIAGNOSIS OF MELANOMA

– Prof David Wilkinson

For further information on this topic, you may be interested in the HealthCert Professional Diploma in Skin Cancer Medicine.

Read another research summary from Prof David Wilkinson: Skin cancer surgery clinical guidelines