Early recognition and prognostic markers of melanoma

Malignant melanoma can be cured if the tumour is recognized at an early phase. Therefore, early recognition is of critical importance and cannot be overemphasized. Epiluminescence microscopy is a non-invasive technique that makes sub-surface structures of skin accessible for in vivo microscopic examination and thus provides additional criteria for the diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions. Thereby preoperative clinical diagnosis can be improved. In order to assess the prognosis of a melanoma patient and to predict the outcome of the disease a number of morphological and immunological parameters these will be reviewed, are helpful.