BLINCK approach

BLINCK approach is simple and useful algorithm to help clinicians determine if a pigmented lesion warrants biopsy. The use of this algorithm will improve the pickup rate of potentially serious skin cancers as well as reduce the number of unnecessary benign lesion excisions.

BLINCK may be especially helpful to clinicians who have only basic or intermediate dermoscopy skills but who are regularly called upon to assess skin lesions in their practices.

BLINCK checklist is introduced by Dr. Peter Bourne, a founder of the Skin Cancer College of Australia and New Zealand (SCCANZ). The score for the lesion was added up to 4 by criteria as following.

1. B. The lesion was not clearly benign at our first initial evaluation
2. L. The lesion appeared to be lonely without any other similar melanocytic lesion near by
3. I. The lesion appeared to be irregular outline and color on our dermoscopic exam
4. N & C. The patient was nervous about the change in color in past 4-6 months
5. K. The lesion exhibited known clues when viewed with a dermatoscope. See "Chaos and Clues" reference below.

BLINCK Score = 4

According to the BLINCK approach, a lesion should be biopsied if the BLINCK score is 2 or more out of a possible 4. Therefore, the we excised this lesion and sent for a pathologic evaluation.