Precision Skin Cancer Diagnosis: Gene Expression Profiling for Melanoma and cSCC

Early detection and appropriate, risk-adjusted treatment is essential to ensure optimal outcomes for patients diagnosed with skin cancers such as melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Unfortunately, diagnosis of these malignancies can be challenging, and many patients are not diagnosed until later stages of disease. Once a patient is diagnosed, determining their risk status is particularly important, as it has major implications for treatment selection. Failure to appropriately assess patient risk can lead to either over or undertreatment, negatively impacting patient outcomes. In recent years, novel gene expression profiling (GEP) technologies designed to aid in diagnosis and risk assessment have emerged for melanoma and cSCC, and many more are in development. Use of these tests can help dermatology clinicians, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants in early identification of patients with high-risk disease who may require a more aggressive treatment approach.

This activity, Precision Skin Cancer Diagnosis: Gene Expression Profiling for Melanoma and cSCC, will review emerging trends in diagnosis and risk stratification for patients with common skin cancers. This will include practical discussion of how to improve diagnosis of melanoma and new strategies to improve risk stratification for melanoma and cSCC.

Jointly provided by the Potomac Center for Medical Education and Rockpointe

This program is supported by an educational grant from Castle Biosciences, Inc.