Specialty-trained pathologists more likely to make higher-grade diagnoses for melanocytic lesions.

Dermatopathologists are more likely to make more severe diagnoses for skin biopsy cases of melanocytic lesions compared to general pathologists, according to an exploratory study. This could contribute to the increasing rates of overdiagnosis and the rising incidence of early-stage melanoma with low risk of progression or patient morbidity. The study analyzed data from two national studies and found that dermatopathologists were 2.63 times more likely to render higher-grade diagnoses and 1.95 times more likely to diagnose invasive melanoma compared to general pathologists. The study suggests the need for strategies to minimize harm from overdiagnosis and improve diagnostic accuracy. [Extracted from the article]