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Diagnostic errors resulting from pathological assessment of biopsies for skin lesions and cancer occur at high rates. According to UCLA researchers, a second opinion from board-certified pathologists or those with fellowship training in dermatopathology can increase the accuracy of diagnoses.
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— Kate Jackson, editor |
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Increasing Confidence in Melanoma Diagnosis
Getting a reliable diagnosis of melanoma can be a significant challenge for pathologists. The diagnosis relies on a pathologist’s visual assessment of biopsy material on microscopic slides, which can often be subjective. Of all pathology fields, analyzing biopsies for skin lesions and cancers has one of the highest rates of diagnostic errors, affecting millions of people each year.
Now, a new study led by UCLA researchers has found that obtaining a second opinion from pathologists who are board certified or have fellowship training in dermatopathology can help improve the accuracy and reliability of diagnosing melanoma, one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of skin cancer.
“A diagnosis is the building block on which all other medical treatment is based,” says Joann Elmore, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and researcher at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “On the other end of these biopsies are real patients: patients answering the late-night, anxiety-inducing phone calls when we inform them of their diagnosis; patients undergoing invasive surgeries; patients weighing their next clinical steps. All patients deserve an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, the evaluation and diagnosis of skin biopsy specimens is challenging, with a lot of variability among physicians.”
In the study, led by Elmore and her colleagues, the value of a second opinion by general pathologists and dermatopathologists was evaluated to see whether it helped lead to the correct diagnostic classification.
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Urinary Tract Infections: Nonantibiotic Prophylaxis With High-Dose Cranberry Proanthocyandins
For this common recurring condition, science and clinical guidelines point to the benefit of supplementation, not only for relief of symptoms but also to help prevent antibiotic resistance. Read more »
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Older Adults — The Impact of Age on Diagnosis and Treatment
This most common entrapment neuropathy occurs most often and tends to be more severe in older adults, but often goes undiagnosed. Read more »
From Hospital to Home — Implementing Transitional Care Management
It takes knowledge, time, and teamwork to implement a successful transitional care process, but the effort increases patient safety and effectiveness of care after hospitalizations. Read more » |
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A Wearable for People With COPD
The FDA has cleared Spry Health, a health management technologies company, to market its Loop System, the first clinical-grade wearable that measures pulse oximetry, respiration rate, and heart rate. It works without patient input and its use does not require a smartphone or app. The tool helps clinicians detect the early signs of deterioration in patients with COPD before symptoms are apparent. Learn more »
Optimizing Surgical Care
KCI, an Acelity company, expands its surgical suite with PREVENA RESTOR ARTHRO-FORM System, which helps better manage challenging postoperative incisions and the surrounding soft tissue envelope, such as on the knee, hip, and shoulder, to stabilize the incision and surrounding surgical area and help improve healing. Learn more » |
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A resource for professionals looking for new opportunities, as well as those physicians just curious to see what's out there, our Physician Recruitment Center gives physician recruiters a powerful tool to fill partnership opportunities, academic appointments, and hospital staff positions. To support your product marketing or recruiting needs, e-mail our experienced account executives today at sales@gvpub.com for more information or call 800-278-4400! |
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Fear of Falling
For older adults, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injury. Because hospitals risk financial penalties when patients fall, prevention is paramount. But it appears that the cure may be worse than the problem. Experts, according to Washington Post reporters, say excessive fall prevention methods have led to an “epidemic of immobility.”
Silent Heart Attacks
The New York Times reports on recent studies about the incidence and consequences of silent heart attacks and stresses the need for physicians to identify risk factors in patients and provide appropriate care.
Are Steroid Injections Hurting Patients With Arthritis?
A single steroid injection has long been a staple of care for patients with joint pain resulting from arthritis. A specialist in joint pain now believes that the procedure, long believed to be safe, may do more harm than good. The Atlantic reports on a study by the specialist and colleagues, published in Radiology.
A Side Effect of Technology
Among the early signs of dementia in older adults may be difficulty using technology that they previously used with ease, eg, forgetting cell phone or computer passwords and getting locked out of accounts. The Washington Post reports on the need to be alert to changes in technology use and offer helpful strategies to patients who develop difficulty using their devices. |
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