title: Early diagnosis of melanoma: what is the impact of dermoscopy?
abstract: There are three possible explanations for the improved melanoma recognition when a clinician uses dermoscopy: first, the presence of early dermoscopy signs that become visible in melanoma much before the appearance of the classical clinical features; second, an increased attitude of clinicians to check more closely clinically banal-looking lesions; and third, an improved attitude of clinicians to monitor their patients. In this review, the light and the dark sides of melanoma screening are briefly discussed, including the need to find better strategies to decrease the number of unnecessary excision of benign lesions on one hand, and to finally decrease melanoma mortality rates on the other.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Medical Department, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy. g.argenziano@gmail.com
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argenziano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castagnetti
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Pace
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Lernia
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellacani
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piana
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalaudek
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology