Melanoma
EBM Guidelines
Jun 14, 2024 • Latest change Mar 31, 2025
Table of contents
Extract
- Any suspicious naevus can be removed in primary health care.
- Melanoma should be suspected if a pre-existing naevus (mole) on the skin increases in size, changes colour, bleeds or discharges purulent material. The presence of so-called ”satellite lesions” are also suggestive of melanoma. Melanoma may also develop on a previously healthy skin or mucous membrane.
- A changed lesion suspected to be melanoma must be excised as soon as possible for an accurate histopathological diagnosis. If it is not possible to remove the lesion as a whole, a biopsy can be taken. Biopsy does not worsen the prognosis.
Linked evidence summaries
- The ABCD checklist and the revised 7-point checklist to distinguish melanoma from benign lesions may be fairly accurate diagnostic aids.C
- A wide excision margin (3–5 cm) of melanoma may not be better for overall survival than a narrower margin (1–2 cm). There is insufficient evidence on optimal excision margins for different Breslow thickness of cutaneous melanoma.C
Search terms
C43, C69.02&, C69.32&, C69.42&, C69.45&, Cutaneous melanoma, D03.9&, Dermatology, Interferon-alpha, Melanoma, Naevus, Neoplastic diseases, Nevus, Oncology, Plastic surgery, Skin cancer, Skin melanoma, Surgery