Problematic lesions in children.
Melanoma in childhood is rare, and appears more commonly either in association with a preexisting (congenital) nevus, or with spitzoid features than de novo. Thus, problematic melanocytic lesions in children are essentially represented by congenital nevi and Spitz nevi that can be regarded as melanoma precursors and melanoma simulators, respectively. As a consequence, clinical and dermoscopic features of melanoma in children differ from those in an adult population. Herein we describe common clinical and dermoscopic features of problematic lesions in children, focusing on congenital and Spitz/Reed nevi, and including other problematic lesions, such as atypical, blue, acral, and scalp nevi.
Skin Cancer Unit, First Medical Department, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento, 80, Reggio Emilia 42100, Italy. Electronic address: elvira.moscarella@gmail.com.
Elvira
E
Moscarella
Vincenzo
V
Piccolo
Giuseppe
G
Argenziano
Aimilios
A
Lallas
Caterina
C
Longo
Fabio
F
Castagnetti
Stefania
S
Pizzigoni
Iris
I
Zalaudek
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D046169:Dermoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018332:Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
Atypical spitz tumor; Childhood; Congenital nevi; Melanocytic nevi; Melanoma; Spitz nevi