WAILEA, HAWAII – In a video interview, Pedram Gerami, MD, professor of dermatology, pathology, and pediatrics, Northwestern University, Chicago, discusses the use of molecular testing for melanoma and suspicious lesions.
Molecular tests are available for various components of diagnosis and prognosis of melanoma, and one of the most popular scenarios for their use is to confirm a diagnosis if a lesion is biopsied and the histopathologist “feels that the diagnosis is ambiguous by standard pathology methods,” Dr. Gerami said in a video interview at the Hawaii Dermatology Seminar provided by Global Academy for Medical Education/Skin Disease Education Foundation.
On average, between 1% and 5% of cases of suspicious lesions may need molecular testing to confirm the diagnosis, he noted. Of the available options for molecular testing, FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) testing is the most validated in the setting of ambiguous histology, he said.
Dr. Gerami disclosed serving as a consultant and researcher for Castle Biosciences, Myriad Genetics, and DermTech.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.