HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Culpepper, K S Articles by McKee, P H Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Culpepper, K S Articles by McKee, P H Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Moles Skin Cancer

My approach to atypical melanocytic lesions

Division of Dermatopathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Correspondence to:
Dr K S Culpepper
320 Needham Street, Suite 200, Newton, MA 02464, USA; kculpepper{at}cohenderm.com
ABSTRACT
Histological assessment of melanocytic naevi constitutes a substantial proportion of a dermatopathologist’s daily workload. Although they may be excised for cosmetic reasons, most lesions encountered are clinically atypical and are biopsied or excised to exclude melanoma. Although dysplastic naevi are most often encountered, cytological atypia may be a feature of several other melanocytic lesions, including genital type naevi, acral naevi, recurrent naevi, and neonatal or childhood naevi. With greater emphasis being given to cosmetic results, and because of an ever increasing workload, several "quicker and less traumatising" techniques have been introduced in the treatment and diagnosis of atypical naevi including punch, shave, and scoop shave biopsies. A major limitation to all of these alternatives is that often only part of the lesion is available for histological assessment and therefore all too frequently the pathologist’s report includes a recommendation for complete excision so that the residual lesion can be studied. Complete or large excision of all clinically atypical naevi permits histological assessment of the entire lesion, and in most cases spares the patient the need for further surgical intervention.

Keywords: Spitz naevus; biopsy technique; de novo dysplasia; dysplastic naevus; melanoma

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. H. Stell, H. J. Norton, K. S. Smith, J. C. Salo, and R. L. White Jr. Method of Biopsy and Incidence of Positive Margins in Primary Melanoma Ann. Surg. Oncol., February 1, 2007; 14(2): 893 - 898. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]