Melanoma — SCE Dermatology MCQ

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HardSkin CancerMelanomaSCE Dermatology

A 60-year-old man has a suspected melanocytic lesion on his back. The dermatologist performs a dermoscopic assessment using the revised 7-point checklist. Which of the following is a MAJOR criterion scoring 2 points?

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Correct answer: A — Atypical pigment network

The best answer is “Atypical pigment network”. NICE bases melanoma diagnosis, excision margins and nodal assessment on complete histology, Breslow thickness, ulceration and clinical stage, with specialist review of suspicious or changing lesions. The alternatives “Regression structures”, “Irregular dots/globules”, “Regular pigment network”, “Irregular blotches” are clinically adjacent possibilities, but they do not fit the defining morphology, distribution, histopathology, risk signal or management sequence in this stem.

Reference: NICE NG14 melanoma recommendations: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng14/chapter/Recommendations