Longitudinal melonychia: clinical evaluation and biopsy technique

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology

Background:

• Longitudinal melonychia presents as brown streaking of the nailbed.
• While often benign, it can be an early sign of subungual melanoma.

Observation:

• Subungual melanoma is a rare but aggressive malignancy.
• Diagnosis is frequently delayed, contributing to advanced disease stages.

Findings:

• Delayed diagnosis of subungual melanoma correlates with higher staging.
• Delayed diagnosis results in a poorer prognosis compared to other cutaneous melanomas.

Implications:

• This review updates the evaluation strategies for longitudinal melonychia.
• It emphasizes the importance of appropriate biopsy techniques for timely diagnosis.