title: The regenerating naevus.
abstract: The re-emergence of a melanocytic proliferation at the site of a previously excised pigmented lesion may not only cause great concern clinically but may also be amongst the most difficult of all melanocytic lesions for pathologists to assess. These lesions can adopt an appearance which may be impossible to confidently distinguish from a regressing or traumatised melanoma on histological grounds alone. For this reason, careful attention must be paid to the clinical context which has given rise to the lesion or a misdiagnosis may occur. In the absence of a corroborating history of prior surgery or trauma to the site, a diagnosis of a regenerating naevus may only be provisional. When considering a diagnosis of regenerating naevus, whenever possible, it is important to review and confirm the benign nature of the precursor lesion. Nevertheless, 50 years of research into this phenomenon has identified certain characteristic clinical features and histological patterns which provide clues both to clinicians and pathologists that will assist them to make the correct diagnosis and avoid over diagnosing as melanoma what is ultimately a benign process.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia; Hunter Cancer Research Alliance (HCRA), Calvary Mater Newcastle, Waratah, Australia; Division of Anatomical Pathology, Pathology North (Hunter), New Lambton Heights, Australia. Electronic address: Ricardo.Vilain@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Ricardo E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vilain
authors.affiliation: Melanoma Institute Australia, North Sydney, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Stanley W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Melanoma Institute Australia, North Sydney, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Scolyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Diagnosis; melanoma; pathology; persistent naevus; pseudomelanoma; recurrent naevus; regenerating naevus