title: Childhood melanoma.
abstract: Pediatric melanoma is rare but increasing in incidence. Because early diagnosis and treatment improves prognosis, clinicians need to include it as a possible diagnosis when evaluating a pigmented lesion in a pediatric patient. Some risk factors for melanoma include xeroderma pigmentosum, giant congenital melanocytic nevi, dysplastic nevus syndrome, atypical nevi, many acquired melanocytic nevi, family history of melanoma, and immunosuppression. Definitive treatment is with surgical excision. Adjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy can be used in advanced cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grant-Kels
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis