Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38925576›Full record

ArticleJournal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV2025

Predictors of malignancy in melanocytic lesions presenting as new lesions compared to baseline total body photography: A case-control study.

S Chan, P Guitera, P Ferguson, M A El Sharouni, R Teh, R A Scolyer, A Glanz

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A Clinical Perspective on Melanoma Overdiagnosis.The Australasian journal of dermatology · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

S ChanFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0374-1638
P GuiteraFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
P FergusonMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
M A El SharouniSydney Melanoma Diagnostic Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
R TehFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
R A ScolyerFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
A GlanzFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3356-1643

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) APP2018514
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOnly a small per cent of new melanocytic lesions developing in adults are expected to represent melanomas. Total body photography (TBP) has been widely incorporated in clinical practice, especially for follow-up of high-risk individuals with multiple naevi. However, dynamic changes detected with TBP need to be interpreted with caution to avoid unnecessary excisions.

objectivesTo identify clinical and dermoscopic predictors of malignancy in melanocytic lesions presenting clinically as new lesions on TBP.

methodsMelanomas and melanocytic naevi excised from a high-risk cohort and presenting as new lesions on TBP were retrospectively included. Naevi were arbitrarily collected up to approximately twice the number of melanomas. Melanomas were categorized as 'unequivocal' or 'borderline' on histopathology review.

resultsSixty melanomas and 110 naevi were included. Median age (range) of cases (55; 27-83) was 9 years older than controls (46; 24-77) (p < 0.0001). Median diameter (IQR) of naevi was 2.6 mm (1.8-3.8) and of melanomas 4.2 mm (2.7-7.0) (p < 0.0001). On histopathology, 40% of the melanomas were 'borderline'. A positive 7-point checklist was reported in 12.5% of 'borderline' melanomas and 33.3% of 'unequivocal' melanomas (p = 0.005), while 18.3% of melanomas were completely featureless. Blue-whitish veil, atypical vascular pattern and shiny white lines were exclusively found in melanomas. The main predictors of malignancy were (OR; 95% CI) regression structures (7.13; 1.88-27.06; p = 0.004); hypo/amelanotic colour (6.00; 1.17-30.73; p = 0.03); irregular pigmentation (3.89; 1.36-11.13; p = 0.01); asymmetrical peripheral dots/globules (3.50; 1.11-11.00; p = 0.03); and asymmetry in pattern and/or colour (2.5; 1.3-4.9; p = 0.007). All invasive melanomas detected in patients younger than 50 years presented at least one dermoscopic predictor of malignancy.

conclusionsMelanomas presenting as new lesions are frequently featureless or feature poor on dermoscopy and difficult-to-diagnose on histopathology. In high-risk patients, the presence on any of the dermoscopic predictors of malignancy identified should prompt excision; however, the remaining lesions should be closely monitored.

Indexed as

MelanomaNevus, PigmentedPhotographySkin NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCase-Control StudiesDermoscopyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID38925576
PMCPMC11851254

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.