title: Melanoma update: diagnostic and prognostic factors that can effectively shape and personalize management.
abstract: Routine light microscopy remains a powerful tool to diagnose, stage and prognose melanoma. Although it is very economical and efficient, it requires a significant level of expertise and, in difficult cases the final diagnosis is affected by subjective interpretation. Fortunately, new insights into the genomic aberrations characteristic of melanoma, coupled with ancillary studies, are further refining evaluation and management allowing for more confident diagnosis, more accurate staging and the selection of targeted therapy. In this article, we review the standard of care and new updates including four probe FISH, the 2009 American Joint Commission on Cancer staging of melanoma and mutant testing of melanoma, which will be crucial for targeted therapy of metastatic melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College, NY 12208, USA.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Linos
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slominski
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: J Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D043171:Chromosomal Instability; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers