European Standard Clinical Practice Recommendations for Cutaneous Melanoma in Children and Adolescents

European Standard Clinical Practice Recommendations for Cutaneous Melanoma in Children and Adolescents

Bergamaschi, L., Indini, A., Brecht, I.B., Almaraz, R.L., Reguerre, Y., Eigentler, T.K., Bien, E., Krawczyk, M.A., Kuhlen, M., Abele, M., Chiaravalli, S., Chanal, J., Fraitag, S., Jaime, A.B., Orbach, D. and Ferrari, A.

European Standard Clinical Practice Recommendations for Cutaneous Melanoma in Children and Adolescents. Pediatr Blood Cancer e70244. 

https://doi.org/10.1002/1545-5017.70244

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous melanoma in children and adolescents is an extremely rare malignancy that poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to limited clinical evidence and a lack of specific treatment guidelines. This document, developed by the European Cooperative Study Group for Pediatric Rare Tumors (EXPeRT), updates and systematizes previous recommendations by integrating recent advances. It particularly emphasizes the need for accurate diagnosis through expert pathology review, multidisciplinary discussion, appropriate surgical management, and the important role of systemic treatments now available, also in pediatric age. A strengthened collaboration with adult oncologists is fundamental to optimizing strategies and improving outcomes.