Acral melanoma simulating warts: dermoscopic clues to prevent missing a melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Acral melanoma may adopt a variety of clinical characteristics simulating other tumors, ulcers, hemorrhage, or infections. In the Caucasian population health care providers often misdiagnose acral melanoma, and this is the cause of inadequate treatments. Clinical and dermoscopic clues can be easily recognized, which help to prevent missing a melanoma.


OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical and dermoscopic findings in three cases of acral melanoma simulating warts that had been treated by dermatologists with curettage and cryotherapy.


METHODS
Clinical and dermoscopic study of the tumors and review of the most frequent simulators of acral melanoma reported in the literature.


RESULTS
In all three tumors, hyperkeratosis and the lack of specific pigmentation were observed. The parallel ridge pattern, revealed by dermoscopic examination, precipitated the recognition of acral melanoma.


CONCLUSIONS
In these cases that presented atypical characteristics of acral lesions, therefore challenging the diagnostic process, dermoscopic examination helped to confirm an accurate diagnosis of acral melanoma.
Dalmau
Joan
J
Department of Dermatology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. jdalmau@hsp.santpau.es
Abellaneda
Cristina
C
Puig
Susana
S
Zaballos
Pedro
P
Malvehy
Josep
J
D000368:Aged; D046169:Dermoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D014860:Warts / Q000175:diagnosis