Melanoma patient imaging in the era of effective systemic therapies

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Imaging is integral to melanoma patient care, aiding in staging, surgical planning, and surveillance.
• Current imaging practices vary globally due to differing guidelines, physician preferences, availability, and cost.
• Recent advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapies have transformed metastatic melanoma treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolving role of medical imaging in melanoma management.
• To discuss how new systemic therapies impact imaging patterns and response assessment.
• To explore future directions in melanoma imaging.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on melanoma imaging.
• Analysis of imaging's role in staging, surgical planning, and therapy monitoring.
• Discussion of new imaging criteria for assessing response to novel therapies.

Main Results:

• Imaging is essential for primary staging, surgical guidance, and surveillance in melanoma patients.
• Effective systemic therapies have introduced novel disease patterns and response indicators.
• Established imaging criteria may require adaptation for contemporary melanoma treatments.

Conclusions:

• Imaging remains vital throughout melanoma patient management, adapting to new therapeutic landscapes.
• Updated imaging approaches are necessary to accurately assess treatment efficacy in the era of advanced melanoma therapies.
• Future developments in imaging will likely focus on refining response assessment for systemic treatments.