title: Malignant blue nevus.
abstract: To elucidate the histologic features and biologic behavior of malignant blue nevus (MBN), 12 cases were analyzed in which the tumor showed no junctional activity and arose in a blue nevus background. Seven patients were men and five were women; their mean age was 48.8 years. Eight lesions were on the scalp, and no patient had a family history of melanoma. The histologic appearance of most lesions was a nodule or nodules of malignant cells in a blue nevus. Mitoses were present in all lesions with atypical forms in eight; however the mitotic rate exceeded two per ten high-power fields in only one lesion. Four lesions had necrosis, and four had a heavily pigmented malignant component. Four patients had recurrences; ten patients had metastases, and eight died of their disease. Therefore MBN is an aggressive neoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Connelly
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis; D009336:Necrosis; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*