Dimensionalities: borderline and intermediate melanocytic neoplasia

The concept of minimal deviation melanoma is presented in diagrammatic form. In this approach, the precursors of melanoma are presented as having two dimensions and melanomas as having three dimensions. In turn, the relativity between dimensionalities and recommendations for treatment (as indirect correlates of prognostications) provides guidelines for the structuring of two major boundaries along the axis of the diagram. Finally, the domains defined by the two boundaries include borderline lesions, intermediate lesions, and "real melanomas." The lesions in the borderline and intermediate categories qualify as melanocytic neoplasias of indeterminant malignant potential; in these two categories, the predictability of metastases hardly justifies the use of the designation, malignant melanoma.