TY - JOUR
T1 - Cutaneous malignant melanoma
T2 - Update on diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers
AU - Abbas, Ossama
AU - Miller, Daniel D.
AU - Bhawan, Jag
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has rapidly increased in recent years in all parts of the world, and melanoma is a leading cause of cancer death. As even relatively small melanomas may have metastatic potential, accurate assessment of progression is critical. Although diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma is usually based on histopathologic criteria, these criteria may at times be inadequate in differentiating melanoma from certain types of benign nevi. As for prognosis, tumor (Breslow) thickness, mitotic rate, and ulceration have been considered the most important prognostic indicators among histopathologic criteria. However, there are cases of thin primary melanomas that have ultimately developed metastases despite complete excision. Given this, an accurate assessment of melanoma progression is critical, and development of molecular biomarkers that identify high-risk melanoma in its early phase is urgently needed. Large-scale genomic profiling has identified considerable heterogeneity in melanoma and suggests subgrouping of tumors by patterns of gene expression and mutation will ultimately be essential to accurate staging. This subgrouping in turn may allow for more targeted therapy. In this review, we aim to provide an update on the most promising new biomarkers that may help in the identification and prognostication of melanoma.
AB - The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has rapidly increased in recent years in all parts of the world, and melanoma is a leading cause of cancer death. As even relatively small melanomas may have metastatic potential, accurate assessment of progression is critical. Although diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma is usually based on histopathologic criteria, these criteria may at times be inadequate in differentiating melanoma from certain types of benign nevi. As for prognosis, tumor (Breslow) thickness, mitotic rate, and ulceration have been considered the most important prognostic indicators among histopathologic criteria. However, there are cases of thin primary melanomas that have ultimately developed metastases despite complete excision. Given this, an accurate assessment of melanoma progression is critical, and development of molecular biomarkers that identify high-risk melanoma in its early phase is urgently needed. Large-scale genomic profiling has identified considerable heterogeneity in melanoma and suggests subgrouping of tumors by patterns of gene expression and mutation will ultimately be essential to accurate staging. This subgrouping in turn may allow for more targeted therapy. In this review, we aim to provide an update on the most promising new biomarkers that may help in the identification and prognostication of melanoma.
KW - biomarkers
KW - malignant melanoma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84900835127&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84900835127&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/DAD.0b013e31828a2ec5
DO - 10.1097/DAD.0b013e31828a2ec5
M3 - Article
C2 - 24803061
AN - SCOPUS:84900835127
SN - 0193-1091
VL - 36
SP - 363
EP - 379
JO - American Journal of Dermatopathology
JF - American Journal of Dermatopathology
IS - 5
ER -