title: Reduction in nevus biopsies in patients monitored by total body photography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total body photography (TBP) can facilitate identification of new and changing lesions. By confirming that particular nevi are stable, TBP may reduce nevus biopsies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the number and rate of nevus biopsies before and after TBP, and the factors associated with increased biopsy rate during monitoring by TBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed records of all patients in 2 pigmented lesion clinics (PLCs) who received TBP and had 2 or more follow-up visits over a period of 2 years or longer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before PLCs and TBP, the mean number of nevus biopsies per patient was 5.92 (589 patients) at a mean rate of 1.62 per year (160 patients). After TBP in PLCs, the same patients averaged 1.56 biopsies at a mean rate of 0.34 per year (P < 2 × 10(-16)). The entire cohort (926 patients) averaged similarly low post-TBP biopsy rates of less than 0.2 per year and per visit. Biopsy rates after TBP were positively correlated with decreased age, male gender, and family history of melanoma, but not nevus number.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some information was not available for some patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients at risk for melanoma experienced a 3.8-fold reduction in nevus biopsies after TBP. Younger male patients with family history of melanoma had higher biopsy rates after TBP.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.affiliation: New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strazzulla
authors.affiliation: University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada.
authors.forename: Jordon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: March
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Kelly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Caroline C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Dermatology, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Electronic address: doug.grossman@hci.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grossman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009506:Nevus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: biopsy; melanoma; nevus; pigmented lesion clinic; total body photography