Less Is More — Number Needed to Excise Decreased as Accurate Melanoma Diagnosis Increased

Accuracy improved during a 10-year period in specialized clinics in 13 countries.

Although different methods are available to gauge diagnostic accuracy in melanoma, one common clinical metric is the number of lesions needed to excise (NNE) to detect one melanoma. Previous reports have estimated NNEs ranging from 20 to 40 for general practitioners at a nonspecialized clinical setting (NSCS) to 4 to 18 for dermatologists at a specialized clinical setting (SCS). An NSCS may represent a heterogeneous group of providers, including primary care physicians, dermatologists, and other specialists.

In this multicenter study conducted at 21 clinical centers and 2 dermatopathology units in 13 countries, investigators analyzed information on all histopathologically confirmed cutaneous melanomas or melanocytic nevi excised during a 10-…

Reviewing Author

Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Consultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical

EquityLubax

Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal

Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)