title: Early detection of melanoma: reviewing the ABCDEs.
abstract: Over the course of their nearly 30-year history, the ABCD(E) criteria have been used globally in medical education and in the lay press to provide simple parameters for assessment of pigmented lesions that need to be further evaluated by a dermatologist. In this article, the efficacy and limitations of the ABCDE criteria as both a clinical tool and a public message will be reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Hensin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Jeannette M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olazagasti
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Kelly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cordoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Jerry D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: Society Hill Dermatology and Cosmetic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Jeremy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bordeaux
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California; Dermatology Service, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Mary-Margaret
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chren
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sober
authors.affiliation: American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Illinois.
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tegeler
authors.affiliation: American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Illinois.
authors.forename: Reva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhushan
authors.affiliation: American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Illinois. Electronic address: wsmithbegolka@aad.org.
authors.forename: Wendy Smith
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Begolka
mesh_terms: D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000193:education; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016353:Self-Examination; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D063189:Symptom Assessment
keywords: ABCDE; criteria; detection; diagnosis; melanoma; screening