title: Negative pigment network identifies a peculiar melanoma subtype and represents a clue to melanoma diagnosis: a dermoscopic study of 401 melanomas.
abstract: The dermoscopic descriptor "negative pigment network" (NPN) has been reported in several types of melanocytic and non-melanocytic lesions, although it has a higher frequency of association with melanoma and Spitz naevus. In a study of 401 consecutive melanomas, excluding facial, acral and mucosal locations, the frequency and variability of NPN were investigated, and the results of NPN correlated with clinical and histopathological data. NPN of any extension was found in 27% of melanomas, most frequently invasive and arising from a naevus on the trunk of young subjects. Seven percent of melanomas in the study population showed presence of NPN in more than half of the lesion area; most of these did not show typical dermoscopic melanoma features. The authors propose a new melanoma subtype, in which extensive NPN should be considered as a diagnostic indicator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, IT-41124 Modena, Italy. sarabassoli79@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bassoli
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borsari
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magnoni
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellacani
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidenari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation