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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Detection and Isolation of Circulating Melanoma Cells using Photoacoustic Flowmetry
Published on: November 25, 2011
Self-detection frequency and recognition patterns in medium to high-risk cutaneous melanoma patients
Anca Sindrilaru1, Vera Neckermann1, Thomas Eigentler1
1Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Ulm, Germany.
Background And Objectives:
The question of how frequently patients with medium to high-risk melanomas become aware of their tumors and which self-detection patterns exist remains unanswered.
Patients And Methods:
We conducted a retrospective survey of melanoma patients who had undergone sentinel node biopsy between 2004 and 2008. One hundred twenty-seven out of a total of 133 patients completed the questionnaire.
Results:
Twenty-five percent of patients had not noticed their tumors at all. The remaining 75 % showed three different self-detection patterns, with 25 % of individuals seeking medical advice within 0-12 weeks and another 25 % within 3-6 months. The remaining 25 % had waited for more than six months prior to tumor excision. Age, gender, and melanoma location were comparable in all self-detection subgroups. The most frequent subtypes were: SSM (59), NMM (31), ALM (9), UCM (9) and LMM (4). Rare subtypes occurred in 15 individuals. Patients with lesions previously noticed for 3-6 months revealed the highest average tumor thickness and the significantly highest number of pT4 tumors. Sixty percent of NMM patients had a disease history < 6 months. Rare subtypes such as amelanotic, spindle cell, or spitzoid melanoma were self-detected in only 50 % of cases.
Conclusions:
Even advanced melanoma lesions remained undetected in 25 % of patients; rare melanoma subtypes, in 50 % of cases. Thus, self-examination frequency, increased awareness of rare melanoma subtypes, and rapid referral to a specialist ought to be at the center of future awareness campaigns.
