Current aspects of etiopathogenesis, primary prevention and early diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma

Сutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive human malignant tumors, characterized by a high metastatic potential and a significant increase in incidence worldwide. In the Russian Federation, according to data for 2023, the prevalence of cutaneous melanoma was 75,5 per 100,000 population with a mortality rate of 6,9%. This article presents a current understanding of the etiopathogenesis of cutaneous melanoma, including the role of ultraviolet radiation, genetic predisposition, and molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Melanoma is one of the tumors that can be cured with early diagnosis, but if detected at late stages, the prognosis remains unfavorable. This article discusses the main strategies of primary prevention aimed at reducing the impact of risk factors. Special attention is paid to the methods of early diagnosis, which is a key factor determining the prognosis of the disease, since the thickness of the primary tumor according to Breslow remains the strongest predictor of patient survival. That is why the study of risk factors, the improvement of methods of primary prevention and early diagnosis are the priorities of modern oncodermatology