title: Dynamic markers based on blood perfusion fluctuations for selecting skin melanocytic lesions for biopsy.
abstract: Skin malignant melanoma is a highly angiogenic cancer, necessitating early diagnosis for positive prognosis. The current diagnostic standard of biopsy and histological examination inevitably leads to many unnecessary invasive excisions. Here, we propose a non-invasive method of identification of melanoma based on blood flow dynamics. We consider a wide frequency range from 0.005-2 Hz associated with both local vascular regulation and effects of cardiac pulsation. Combining uniquely the power of oscillations associated with individual physiological processes we obtain a marker which distinguishes between melanoma and atypical nevi with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 90.9%. The method reveals valuable functional information about the melanoma microenvironment. It also provides the means for simple, accurate, in vivo distinction between malignant melanoma and atypical nevi, and may lead to a substantial reduction in the number of biopsies currently undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefanovska
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Gian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marco Vezzoni
authors.affiliation: Unit 3 of Pathological Anatomy and Histology, Hospital of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loggini
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, Pisa University, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pingitore
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Hospital of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghiara
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barachini
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cervadoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers