title: Melanocytic nevi clinically simulating melanoma.
abstract: Melanoma and other benign or malignant pigmented skin tumors can significantly overlap in their clinical and dermoscopical presentations. Thus, pigmented skin lesions may be misdiagnosed in a large number of cases. An extensive review of the published work provides numerous examples of benign lesions mimicking melanoma. Although a number of melanocytic nevi may have been identified as melanomas, information about their clinical appearance is limited. In this report, we present the clinical appearances of two melanocytic nevi on the vulva and the upper extremity that were difficult to diagnose clinically. Detecting melanoma at an early stage is of the utmost importance. However, more attention should be given to the diagnostic accuracy of benign pigmented skin lesions, which otherwise may be diagnosed and treated as melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. eiichimak@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inaoki
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*