Active clinical trials for "Nevus, Pigmented"

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are very small endogenous RNA molecules about 22-25 nucleotides in length, capable of post-transcriptional gene regulation. miRNAs bind to their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to cleavage or suppression of target mRNA translation based on the degree of complementarity. miRNAs have recently been shown to play pivotal roles in diverse developmental and cellular processes and linked to a variety of skin diseases and cancers. In the present study, the investigators examines the expression profiles of miRNA machinery components such as miRNA maturation and transport factors, microprocessor complex and RISC subunits in cutaneous melanoma, cutaneous melanoma metastases and benign melanocytic nevi.

Background: Melanocytic nevi, or "moles," are non-cancerous growths of a type of skin cell called a melanocyte. Large congenital melanocytic nevi (LCMN) are a special type of mole that begins to grow before birth and is larger than moles that develop after birth. Determining how melanocytes in moles and LCMNs differ from normal melanocytes may increase the ability to predict whether a mole will give rise to a melanoma (a type of skin cancer) Objectives: To understand how melanomas develop, by studying moles, LCMNs, and pigmented skin lesions that are suspicious for melanoma To develop better criteria for diagnosing melanoma, particularly by using a device called a digital dermatoscope (a special camera, connected to a computer, that takes pictures of moles when they are magnified and illuminated) Eligibility: Children 5 years old or older with an LCMN Adults 18 years old or older with 100 or more moles larger than 2 mm in diameter and at least one 4 mm or more Adults 18 years old or older with a pigmented lesion suspicious for melanoma Design: Patients' personal and family health history is obtained. Patients are examined by investigative team doctors, and several lesions are examined with a dermatoscope. Additional photographs of part or all of the skin surface may be taken. Some lesions may be biopsied. Additional tests or examinations may be recommended. Patients are followed periodically for skin or physical examinations, photography, laboratory and imaging evaluations, and possible skin biopsies. Children may undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

The purpose of this study is to obtain skin spectroscopic data from two imaging systems. Comparison groups: Skin Spect dermoscope Spatially modulated quantitative spectrometer

Malignant Melanoma is a deadly skin cancer that can be cured if diagnosed early. To date atypical pigmented skin lesions are diagnosed by appearance alone and many moles and lesions are excised unnecessarily and on the other hand malignant lesions are missed and diagnosed too late. In this study a protein conjugated to a florescent dye is spread on a suspicious pigmented lesion, the hypothesis is that this protein binds to malignant cells only and thus with a special camera that picks up the dye we can find pigmented lesions with early malignant transformation.

Our working hypothesis is that reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) can identify distinct subsets of melanocytic nevi that retain their distinctive pattern over time.