ABCDE rule

The ABCDE Rule originally described by Friedman et al. it is now included in The American Cancer Society's The Seven Warning Signals of Cancer and is a simple method that allows you to identify a nevus at risk.

The ABCDE Rule originally described by Friedman et al. it is now included in The American Cancer Society’s The Seven Warning Signals of Cancer and is a simple method that allows you to identify a nevus at risk.

This method takes into account the macroscopic characteristics of a nevus. If two or more parameters are identifiable on the nevus, it can be considered at risk. It is therefore believed that it is an easy-to-apply method that allows the general practitioner or often the patient himself to identify nevi at risk to be subjected to dermatological evaluation.

ABCDE :: Asimmetria
ABCDE :: Asymmetry

A: asymmetry (ideally dividing a nevus in half, the two halves appear different from each other)

ABCDE :: Bordo irregolare
ABCDE :: irregular Border

B: irregular border with indentations, introflections and/or extroflections

ABCDE :: Più colori
ABCDE :: Colors

C: presence of multiple colors in a nevus (brown, black, blue, red, white, pink)

ABCDE :: Diametro maggiore di 6mm
ABCDE :: Diameter greater than 6 mm

D: diameter greater than 6 mm

ABCDE :: Evoluzione
ABCDE :: Evolution

E: evolution: refers to a nevus that changes in the short term (itching, bleeding, erythematous halo, desquamation)