Abstract
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and remains a diagnostic challenge in the dermatology clinic. Several non-invasive imaging techniques have been developed to identify melanoma. The signal source in each of these modalities is based on the alteration of physical characteristics of the tissue from healthy/benign to melanoma. However, as these characteristics are not always sufficiently specific, the current imaging techniques are not adequate for use in the clinical setting. A more robust way of melanoma diagnosis is to “stain” or selectively target the suspect tissue with a melanoma biomarker attached to a contrast enhancer of one imaging modality. Here, we categorize and review known melanoma diagnostic biomarkers with the goal of guiding skin imaging experts to design an appropriate diagnostic tool for differentiating between melanoma and benign lesions with a high specificity and sensitivity.
Highlights
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer type in the United States and is increasing in morbidity and mortality
Unlike non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), melanoma can develop in areas that rarely receive sun exposure, such as the palmar surfaces of the hands and feet, and mucosal surfaces [24]
Morphologic features can be examined through different non-invasive imaging modalities including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCT), and Ultrasonography see the complete list of these imaging modalities in [43,50,51,52,53], including quantitative dynamic infrared imaging, hyperspectral imaging, multispectral imaging, electrical impedance spectroscopy, and photoacoustic imaging [54,55,56,57,58,59]
Summary
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer type in the United States and is increasing in morbidity and mortality. TThhee ccoonnsseeqquueenncceess ooff mmiissssiinngg aa mmaalliiggnnaanntt mmeellaannoommaa aarree grave. Unlike non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), melanoma can develop in areas that rarely receive sun exposure, such as the palmar surfaces of the hands and feet, and mucosal surfaces [24] These melanomas are understood to have distinct oncogenic mutations uncommon in melanomas in areas of chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Given that 30% of cutaneous melanoma arise near a nevus, often with the BRAFV600E mutation [28], the initial oncogenic mutation is helpful in separating different lesions such as congenital nevi, pigmented lesions on chronic sun damaged (CSD) skin, non-CSD skin pigmented lesions, spitz tumors, and blue nevi [26]. AAnn aaddddiittiioonnaall PPuubbMMeedd sseeaarrcchh wwaass ccoommpplleetteedd uunnddeerr tthhee tteerrmmss mmeellaannoommaa ddiiaaggnnoossiiss bbiioommaarrkkeerrsswwiitthhtthheessaammee ffiilltteerrss ooff ffuullll tteexxtt,, cclliinniiccaall ttrriiaallss,, mmeettaa--aannaallyyssiiss,,rraannddoommiizzeeddccoonnttrroollttrriiaall,,rreevviieeww,, aanndd ssyysstteemmaattiiccrreevviieewwaapppplliieedd,, yyiieellddiinngg 882288 rreessuullttss..EElleevveennaadddditiitoionnalalstsutduideiseswwereerseelseeclteecdteoduot ufrtofmrotmhetrheesureltssu. Ipnreohrednesrivtoe crreevaiteewt,hwe emaolsstoceoxmamprienheedntshiveererefevrieenwc,ews oefatlhsoe eoxriagmininaledartthicelerseftehraetnccaems oefutpheinortihgeinsaelaarcrhtictloesfitlhl aint caanmyemuipssiinngthaeresaesa.rTchhetoinfcillluisnioanncyrimteirsisainwgeareresaest. tTohiencinlucdluesrioenviecrwitepraiapewrse,rreasnedtotomiinzecldudcoenrtervoilelewd ptraipalesr,sa, nrdanmdeotma-iazneadlycsoenstraoimlleedd tartiaalds,darnesdsimngetdai-aagnnaolysstiecs baiiommeadrkaet rasdfdorremsseilnagnodmiaag.nEoxstcilcubsiioonmcarrikteerrisa fionrclmudeeladnopmapae.rEs xacnludssiotundcieristefroicauisnecdluodnedprpoagpneorsstiacnbdiosmtuadrkieesrsf,omcuesleadnoomnaptrhoegrnaopsyt,icorbimomelaarnkoemrsa, mstaeglainngo,maas tthheesreaptyyp,eosromf pealapneorsmdareswtagawinagy, afrsotmhetshee tayimpeosfoofuprasptuedrsy,dwrehwichawwaays fforcoumsetdhoenacimomopfiloiungr stthuedcyu,rwrehnitchmwosatscflionciucsaelldy ountilciozmedpdiliianggntohseticcubriroemntamrkoesrts colfinmiceallalnyoumtiali.zed diagnostic biomarkers of melanoma
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
