MOLE AND SKIN CANCER EXPERT CENTER DR. CHRISTINE SKIN CLINIC with dermatology and plastic surgery experts educated in the world’s leading centers is dedicated to skin cancer prevention and provides the earliest possible detection of skin cancer. It is equipped with the most advanced technology for early skin cancer detection and all the diagnostic and treatment protocols are performed according to the latest scientific guidelines.

If necessary, suspicious lesions can be surgically removed the same day and sent to histopathology – to our collaborating institution KBC Zagreb, where histological, histochemical, methods of molecular pathology and other tests are performed in accordance with current diagnostic guidelines in pathology.

An individualized approach and comprehensive care for each patient means that bandaging, check-up and suture removal are always included in the surgical procedure.

Any sudden change in the existing mole or the appearance of a new mole should be taken seriously and a check-up done by a dermatologist as soon as possible.

Moles or nevi are benign melanocyte formations that may exist at birth or occur during life. An adult has an average of 20-40 moles on the body, depending on genetics and environmental factors – the most important one being the exposure to ultraviolet radiation, especially at an early age. With increasing the number of moles, the risk of developing melanoma also increases.

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that develops from melanocytes, and due to its high tendency to metastasize, it is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors of the skin and mucous membranes. Unlike other skin cancers, it spreads rapidly to distant parts of the body.

However, it is one of a few a malignant tumors to have such a good prognosis if detected and surgically removed in time.

With each millimeter of thickness of the primary tumor, the prognosis is more uncertain. If melanoma is detected at the earliest stage (in situ), the probability of cure is 100%, since at this stage it is still limited to the surface layer of the skin. Early detection is the reason why, despite the increased incidence, melanoma mortality is declining in Western European countries.

According to the guidelines for melanoma based on the interdisciplinary European consensus of 2020 – in case of suspected melanoma, excision of the whole lesion should be done and a sample sent for histopathological analysis. If melanoma cannot be ruled out with certainty, destructive therapeutic modalities such as laser, cryotherapy or topical medications should not be used.

The average age at which melanoma is diagnosed is between 40 and 60 years, although recently more and more cases are being detected at a younger age.

People who have been more exposed to the sun during their lifetime, especially during childhood, are at increased risk, as well as those who are exposed to artificial sources of UV radiation, such as tanning beds. Precisely because of the carcinogenic effect on the skin, many countries have banned the use of tanning devices for children under 18 years of age. Among other risk factors, a positive family history, lighter skin type, above-average number of nevi, immunosuppression and previously diagnosed melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer play an important role.

Of the non-melanoma skin cancers, the most common are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma, which is generally the most common cancer in humans, clinically presents as a small pink nodule that sometimes bleeds spontaneously, and in 74% of cases it occurs on the face and neck. Early diagnosis is very important because it is locally aggressive and can lead to the destruction of various tissues. Squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm that originates from keratinocytes. 90% of squamous cell carcinomas appear in sun-exposed parts of the body. It is locally destructive and does not spare bones or cartilage and can metastasize.

In order to be able to detect skin changes that may lead to development of melanoma and other skin cancers, it is very important to have regular dermatological examinations. Whole skin examinations significantly increase the possibility of detecting melanoma compared to partial examinations, and diagnostic accuracy is increased by using dermoscopy – a non-invasive diagnostic test that allows visualization of pigment and structures in the epidermis, epidermodermal border and papillary dermis.

The newest FotoFinder ATBM Master device for precise digital dermoscopic monitoring – which we use in our expert center, has made a revolutionary step forward to early melanoma detection.

The application of this latest scientific advancement in medical practice has opened a whole new chapter in the early detection of all suspicious skin changes.

By storing dermatoscopic photographs magnified 20 to 140 times, the most detailed monitoring of each individual skin lesion and each mole is done, as well as additional dermatoscopic analysis of the smallest changes on already existing moles. In this way, an experienced dermatologist is given the opportunity to detect the smallest suspicious lesions, before they become dangerous.

The most advanced form of dermatological skin examination with the help of the FotoFinder device lasts about an hour and includes photo documentation of all the moles on the body, thus enabling the avoidance of unnecessary surgical procedures.

Since moles can change under the influence of the sun, hormones and medications, they need to be monitored regularly. The growth of moles is a physiological process during childhood and puberty, but in later life any growth raises the suspicion of the appearance of malignant melanoma. Therefore, regular mole screening is advised to each individual, regardless of risk factors at least once a year.

In case of sudden change in the size, color or shape of the mole, as well as itching, appearance of a new mole or pigment, it is advisable to have a dermatological examination as soon as possible.