title: Unusual melanoma types.
abstract: This article describes that the diagnosis of melanoma has improved with such tools as epiluminescence microscopy. There remain, however, a number of unusual types of melanoma that are difficult to diagnose by virtue of their atypical or subtle morphology. The prognosis of these melanomas is often worse than for their more typical counterparts, often because of a delay in diagnosis. An appreciation of some of these unusual forms of melanoma which helps the clinician to diagnose these lesions earlier, thereby reducing patient morbidity and death is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, University of British Columbia, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada. jrivers@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Jason K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Rivers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007911:Lentigo / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018329:Nevus, Blue / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D035583:Rare Diseases; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*