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Review
. 2022 Jan;80(1):150-165.
doi: 10.1111/his.14570.

Molecular testing for melanocytic tumors: a practical update

Aleodor A Andea  1
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Molecular testing for melanocytic tumors: a practical update

Aleodor A Andea. Histopathology. 2022 Jan.
Free article

Abstract

The work-up of melanocytic tumors has undergone significant changes in the last years following the exponential growth of molecular assays. For the practicing pathologist it is often difficult to sort through the myriad of different tests available currently for clinical use. The molecular tests used in melanocytic pathology can be broadly divided into 4 categories: (i) Tests useful in the differential diagnosis of nevus versus melanoma (primarily used as an aid in the diagnosis of histologically ambiguous melanocytic tumors), (ii) Tests that predict prognosis in melanoma, (iii) Tests useful in the classification of melanocytic tumors and (iv) Tests that predict response to systemic therapy in melanoma. This review will present an updated overview of major ancillary tests used in clinical practice.

Keywords: ancillary test; comparative genomic hybridization; diagnosis; fluorescence in situ hybridization; melanoma; nevus.

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