Pediatric melanoma: the whole (genome) story

Pediatric melanoma is rare and given the diagnostic challenges it presents in this age group, it is difficult to interpret the literature describing its natural history and outcome. Recent genomic analysis demonstrates that conventional melanoma in children and adolescents shares many of the genomic features that have been described in adult melanoma, including BRAF mutations. Thus, this patient group should be given the opportunity to enroll in National Cancer Institute and pharmaceutically sponsored trials that incorporate novel targeted agents.