Variation in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of melanoma in situ: A survey of US dermatologists Journal Article
| Authors: | Charles, C. A.; Yee, V. S. K.; Dusza, S. W.; Marghoob, A. A.; Oliveria, S. A.; Kopf, A.; Rigel, D.; Halpern, A. C. |
| Article Title: | Variation in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of melanoma in situ: A survey of US dermatologists |
| Abstract: | Objective: To assess current practices of US dermatologists regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and management of melanoma in situ (MIS). Design: Survey. Participants: A total of 1200 dermatologists randomly selected from the American Board of Medical Specialists Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists. Main Outcome Measures: Results based on 597 questionnaires returned. Results: The overall response rate was 63% (597 of 945 eligible participants). To aid in clinical assessment, respondents reported using a magnifying lens (57.4%) and dermoscopy (17.4%). Most dermatologists preferred excisional and saucerization biopsies as the method of choice for sampling. A large percentage of physicians (78.9%) preferentially used dermatopathologists for the evaluation of the majority of pigmented lesions. Although most respondents would not unquestioningly accept a benign pathology diagnosis when there was a clinical suspicion of MIS, 16.1% would accept a pathologist's diagnosis without further action. There was no consensus on the appropriate surgical margins or depth of excision for MIS. Of the respondents who characterized MIS as premalignant and malignant, 63.2% and 46.4%, respectively, did not know what percentage of MISs would progress to metastatic disease if left untreated. Conclusions: Considerable variability exists in the clinical concept and management of MIS. Dermoscopy is underutilized. The true nature of the evolution of MIS is unknown. Surgical margins and depth of excision need to be standardized to help dermatologists manage disease. Further research in the specific area of MIS is warranted to develop clear guidelines in the management and prevention of further disease. ©2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. |
| Keywords: | immunohistochemistry; treatment outcome; excision; survival rate; mortality; review; multimodality cancer therapy; united states; comparative study; combined modality therapy; cancer diagnosis; clinical practice; physician's practice patterns; melanoma; metastasis; statistics; skin pigmentation; skin neoplasms; malignant lentigo; hutchinson's melanotic freckle; health survey; tumor biopsy; pathology; epiluminescence microscopy; risk assessment; questionnaires; cancer invasion; standard; questionnaire; skin tumor; clinical competence; biopsy, needle; needle biopsy; referral and consultation; neoplasm invasiveness; epidemiology; dermatology; patient referral; health care surveys; clinical examination |
| Journal Title: | Archives of Dermatology |
| Volume: | 141 |
| Issue: | 6 |
| ISSN: | 0003-987X |
| Publisher: | American Medical Association |
| Date Published: | 2005-06-01 |
| Start Page: | 723 |
| End Page: | 729 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1001/archderm.141.6.723 |
| PUBMED: | 15967918 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 27" - "Export Date: 24 October 2012" - "CODEN: ARDEA" - "Source: Scopus" |
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