Routine Clinical-Pathologic Correlation of Pigmented Skin Tumors Can Influence Patient Management.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have demonstrated the benefit of integrating clinical with pathologic information, to obtain a confident diagnosis for melanocytic tumors. However, all those studies were conducted retrospectively and no data are currently available about the role of a clinical-pathologic correlation approach on a daily basis in clinical practice.


OBJECTIVE
In our study, we evaluated the impact of a routine clinical-pathologic correlation approach for difficult skin tumors seen over 3 years in a tertiary referral center.


RESULTS
Interestingly, a re-appraisal was requested for 158 out of 2015 (7.7%) excised lesions because clinical-pathologic correlation was missing. Of note, in 0.6% of them (13 out of 2045) the first histologic diagnosis was revised in the light of clinical information that assisted the Pathologist to re-evaluate the histopathologic findings that might be bland or inconspicuous per se.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, our study demonstrated that an integrated approach involving clinicians and pathologists allows improving management of selected patients by shifting from a simply disease-focused management (melanoma versus nevus) to a patient-centered approach.
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Caterina
C
Longo
Pathology Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Simonetta
S
Piana
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Aimilios
A
Lallas
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Elvira
E
Moscarella
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Mara
M
Lombardi
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Margherita
M
Raucci
Dermatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Pellacani
Dermatology and Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Argenziano
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D055815:Young Adult