Malignant melanoma: death by image and ignorance, diagnosis by surgical excision and laboratory investigation.

Malignant melanoma is now one of the most common cancers in the western world. Across Europe, the rise in annual incidence is 4-7%. The criteria for clinical and histological diagnosis are well established; however, an elaborate range of laboratory investigations can provide valuable supplementary information in difficult cases. In this essay, we highlight the incidence and impact of malignant melanoma worldwide, and outline the range of laboratory investigations that can be performed and are so vital in the diagnosis of problematic cases.