The following is a summary of “A reappraisal of the epidemiology of Spitz neoplasms in the molecular era: A retrospective cohort study,” published in the DECEMBER 2023 issue of Dermatology by Hagstrom, et al.
Previous studies have indicated a predilection for Spitz neoplasms in younger individuals, contributing to hesitation among pathologists to diagnose benign Spitz neoplasms in the elderly. The integration of genomic sequencing necessitated a reevaluation of the epidemiology of Spitz neoplasms in the contemporary molecular era. For a study, researchers sought to reassess the epidemiology of Spitz neoplasms by incorporating next-generation sequencing.
A comprehensive analysis involved 53,814 non-Spitz neoplasms and 1,260 Spitz neoplasms, including 286 cases subjected to next-generation sequencing testing. Various epidemiological data were collected.
In the overall case pool, the proportion of Spitz neoplasm occurrences remained relatively consistent across the first four decades of life, experiencing a substantial decline in the fifth decade. However, within a subset of genomically confirmed Spitz neoplasm cases, the decline was less pronounced, with up to 20% of all Spitz neoplasms occurring in individuals over 50 years of age. Limitations encompassed the limited availability of genetically verified Spitz neoplasm cases and potential bias in selecting cases for genomic testing.
Genomic verification emerged as a tool facilitating more confident Spitz neoplasm diagnoses in individuals over 50 years old, potentially mitigating the risk of melanoma overdiagnosis.
Source: jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(23)02428-3/fulltext
