Early evolution of melanoma (small-diameter melanoma)

Detecting melanomas in early stages of development is fundamental for preventing mortality from this disease. Prognosis for patients with melanoma is largely determined by early detection [17, 33], as 10-year survival rates have been reported as high as 99.5% for early melanomas <0.76 mm thick, but are only 48% for lesions >3 mm thick [17]. Early detection followed by appropriate treatment has led to considerable reduction in mortality from melanoma, from 60% for those diagnosed in 1960 to about 11% for those diagnosed in 2005 [39]; however, despite early detection efforts, incidence rates for melanoma have dramatically increased over time both in the United States and worldwide, the etiology of which could be attributed to changes in human behavior, the environment, or increased physician awareness [11, 32, 39].