Pathology of Melanoma

Patients with melanoma rely on the knowledge, skills, and experience of the treating clinician and the pathologist for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. For patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, their prognosis and further management are determined to a major extent on the basis of the histopathologic diagnosis as well as other crucial pathologically assessed and measured parameters. These tumor parameters include thickness, ulceration, level of invasion, dermal mitotic rate, and microscopically measured distance from the resection margins. Pathologists should possess a thorough knowledge of the factors that are important in determining the prognosis and management of patients with melanoma and provide both clinicians and patients with the information they require to make the most appropriate decisions. In turn, knowledge of the pathologic and diagnostic features of melanocytic tumors will help clinicians avoid potential diagnostic pitfalls, enable them to better understand diagnostic problems, and allow them to manage difficult cases more effectively.