Abstract
Melanoma is the most fatal form of skin cancer. Scalp melanomas account for 7% of all melanomas. Hair loss, chronic sun damage and history of skin cancer are well-recognized risk factors for developing the scalp melanoma. Similarly, to cutaneous melanoma on the other areas, the scalp melanoma occurs mostly in the elderly, with average ages ranging from 50 to 67 years. Men are more commonly affected compared to women. The typical cutaneous melanoma occurs as an asymmetric macule or nodule with irregular borders, frequently with variations in color within the lesion. It may also presents as pink or red lesion (amelanotic melanoma). The scalp melanoma is characterized by more aggressive biologic behavior and is often diagnosed at a late stage. Histopathology is a gold standard diagnostic method in melanoma. Similarly to melanoma in other areas, wide local excision is recommended. Scalp melanoma in situ should be excised with 5 mm margins, melanoma <1 mm thick with 1 cm margins, melanoma 1–4 mm thick with 2 cm margins and melanoma >4 mm thick with 3 cm margins.
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Maj, M., Warszawik-Hendzel, O., Olszewska, M., Rudnicka, L. (2022). A 33-Year-Old Woman with Brain Metastases of Unknown Origin and a Melanotic Lesion on the Scalp. In: Waśkiel-Burnat, A., Sadoughifar, R., Lotti, T.M., Rudnicka, L. (eds) Clinical Cases in Scalp Disorders. Clinical Cases in Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93426-2_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93426-2_9
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