Risk factors, diagnosis, and detection of melanoma

The incidence of melanoma continues to rise, and accurate figures for this rate of rise in subsets of the population are needed. In addition, it is important to identify occupational groups possibly at greater risk, as well as phenotypic risk factors. Once melanoma has developed, accurate identification of good- and poor-prognosis groups is of value for adjuvant studies. The work of Clark and Trent for more advanced disease is helpful in this respect. A number of nevus types are thought to be precursors to melanoma. New data on dysplastic nevi and congenital nevi are provided, as is information on malignant change in nevi spili.