A breakthrough in melanoma detection, the Pigmented Lesion Assay (PLA) identifies malignant changes on a genomic level that cannot be seen clinically or by dermatopathology.

The First Non-Invasive Gene Expression Test To Enhance Melanoma Detection

Revolutionary Non-Invasive Adhesive Patches

Samples the entire lesion, leaving the lesion intact for additional diagnostic procedures and monitoring.¹
Improves patient care and comfort.

Objective Gene Expression

Gene expression analysis enables DermTech to accurately distinguish between benign and malignant lesions.²
Upon collection, RNA is extracted from skin cells and expression level of specific genes associated with melanoma is assessed using RT-PCR.^3,4

Earliest Detection

Measures gene expression to identify malignant changes across the entire lesion.⁵
Gene expression changes are detectable before physical changes to the lesion occur.⁶

Highly Accurate

Reduces the probability of missing a melanoma to less than 1%.⁷

58% of early-stage melanomas are misinterpreted with the current diagnosis pathway.⁸

Early melanoma may be missed or by histopathology due to the inherent limitation of examining only 1-2% of lesion tissue. In a recent large scale study of pathologists and dermatopathologists in the US, the false negative diagnosis for melanoma in-situ/stage 1a melanoma was found to be 35%. The PLA significantly reduces the number needed to biopsy.

Highly Validated with Proven Clinical Utility

The DermTech PLA is an objective test intended for use on pigmented lesions suspicious for melanoma that meet 1 or more ABCDE criteria to provide accurate, actionable information.⁹

The PLA collects RNA to measure gene expression across the entire lesion. Gene expression technology improves the negative predictive value (NPV) for early melanoma detection.

The PLA Samples Gene Expression Across the Entire Lesion

Gene Expression May Precede Visible Morphologic Change.¹⁰

The PLA focuses on the optimized expression targets of PRAME and LINC.

*Correlation to melanoma with histopathology: LINC + = 7%; PRAME + = 50%; LINC + and PRAME + = 93%.¹¹

PRAME: Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma
LINC00518: Long intergenic non-coding RNA

Enhance Early Detection of Melanoma by Identifying Lesions with Genomic Atypia.¹²

DermTech has identified a gene expression ‘signature’ test that is highly correlated with melanoma. Messenger RNA extracted from non-invasively collected skin cells is analyzed for two clinically verified genomic melanoma indicators – LINC0518 and PRAME.

These two genes belong to separate classes of molecules that are known to have roles in oncogenesis, and both are elevated in melanoma. PRAME is a well-described target involved in melanoma progression and metastasis.

Genomic atypia, including mutational and gene expression changes, may precede morphologic change.¹³

Assessing Gene Expression Consistent with Melanoma Can Aid in Clinical Biopsy Decision Making

PLA negative lesions are generally monitored.

PLA positive lesions are generally surgically biopsied to establish the diagnosis.

2-gene (LINC and PRAME) positive samples have a 93% correlation to melanoma diagnosis by histopathology.
PRAME only positive samples have a 50% correlation to melanoma diagnosis by histopathology.
LINC only positive samples have a 7% correlation to melanoma diagnosis by histopathology.

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