title: Clinical characteristics and risk of melanoma development from giant congenital melanocytic naevi in Korea: a nationwide retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Giant congenital melanocytic naevi (GCMN) are known risk factors for the development of melanoma. However, melanoma risk among Asians is rarely evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk of melanoma development from GCMN in Koreans, we performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Korea. GCMN were defined as those comprising ≥5% body surface area in children or measuring ≥20cm in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 131 patients with GCMN were enrolled, with a mean age of 10·3years (range: birth-70years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The posterior trunk was the most common site (67, 51·1%), followed by lateral trunk, anterior trunk, legs, both anterior and posterior trunk, buttocks, and arms. Satellite naevi were present in 69 cases (52·7%), and axial areas were more commonly involved in patients with satellite naevi than in those without satellite lesions. Atypical features such as rete ridge elongation and bridges were seen, and, among these, pagetoid spread and ballooning cell changes were more common in patients <4years old. Proliferative nodules were found in three cases. Melanomas had developed in three of 131 patients (2·3%; a 6-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and a 70-year-old man), and the incidence rate was 990 per 100000 person-years. Melanomas in these three patients consisted of two cutaneous melanomas and one extracutaneous meningeal melanoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We should be aware of melanoma development from GCMN, and lifelong follow-up is required due to the risk of melanoma arising in GCMN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, 8 Hak-Dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult