Section : Articles

Mole checks and Melanoma detection

Strategies for early melanoma detection: Approaches to the patient with nevi.

Goodson AG, Grossman D.

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 May;60(5):719-35; quiz 736-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.10.065.

  • Mole checks are the « bread and butter » of many dermatologists.
  • The article summarizes the concepts of practical situations that arise when checking the skin or moles for melanoma:
  1. Should we focus on nevi?
  2. Signature nevi
  3. Ugly duckling sign
  • The article also defines who should be screened and how dermatologists inform patients:
  1. Recognizing melanoma
  2. New and changing nevi
  3. Role of self skin examination
  • The available tools for melanoma detection (dermoscopy…)
  • How to detect changes (total body photography…)
  • How to approach a patient presenting with nevi.

For full access to the free article in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), click here.

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Contributors

Dr Christophe Hsu – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland