Routine Clinical-Pathologic Correlation of Pigmented Skin Tumors Can Influence Patient Management.
Title | Routine Clinical-Pathologic Correlation of Pigmented Skin Tumors Can Influence Patient Management. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2015 |
Authors | Longo, C., Piana S., Lallas A., Moscarella E., Lombardi M., Raucci M., Pellacani G., & Argenziano G. |
Journal | PLoS One |
Volume | 10 |
Issue | 9 |
Pagination | e0136031 |
Date Published | 2015 |
ISSN | 1932-6203 |
Keywords | Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Melanoma, Middle Aged, Nevus, Pigmented, Patient-Centered Care, Skin, Skin Neoplasms, Skin Pigmentation, Young Adult |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated the benefit of integrating clinical with pathologic information, to obtain a confident diagnosis for melanocytic tumors. However, all those studies were conducted retrospectively and no data are currently available about the role of a clinical-pathologic correlation approach on a daily basis in clinical practice.AIM OF THE STUDY: In our study, we evaluated the impact of a routine clinical-pathologic correlation approach for difficult skin tumors seen over 3 years in a tertiary referral center.RESULTS: Interestingly, a re-appraisal was requested for 158 out of 2015 (7.7%) excised lesions because clinical-pathologic correlation was missing. Of note, in 0.6% of them (13 out of 2045) the first histologic diagnosis was revised in the light of clinical information that assisted the Pathologist to re-evaluate the histopathologic findings that might be bland or inconspicuous per se.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that an integrated approach involving clinicians and pathologists allows improving management of selected patients by shifting from a simply disease-focused management (melanoma versus nevus) to a patient-centered approach. |
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0136031 |
Alternate Journal | PLoS One |
PubMed ID | 26325678 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC4556521 |