Factors Identified That Affect Dermoscopic Findings in Acral Melanoma

WEDNESDAY, July 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acral melanoma, dermoscopic findings are affected by tumor thickness, lesion diameter, age, and sex, according to a study published in the October issue of JAAD International.Yaei Togawa, M.D., Ph.D., from Chiba University Hospital in Japan, and colleagues examined the relationships of dermoscopic findings with tumor thickness, lesion diameter, patient sex, and patient age in a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 94 patients with acral melanoma.The researchers found that lesions with tumor thickness >4 mm had significantly more irregular dots, blue-gray clods, blood crusts, shiny white lines, and blood vessels compared with in situ lesions, and they also had significantly fewer parallel ridge patterns. In situ, regression structures and the micro-Hutchinson sign were commonly observed. The number of peripheral black dots decreased predominantly with an increase in diameter. Regression structures and milky red globules became more frequent with an increase in age. Blood vessels were found more often in women."Clinicians can expect to make better decisions when examining patients with acral pigmentation if they consider the potential influence of tumor thickness, diameter, age, and sex on the dermoscopic findings of acral melanoma," the authors write.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter