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Dysplastic naevi in a population‐based survey
Author(s) -
Cooke K. R.,
Spears G. F. S.,
Elder David E.,
Greene Mark H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19890315)63:6<1240::aid-cncr2820630635>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatology , dysplastic nevus , population , kappa , melanocytic nevus , nevus , melanoma , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health , cancer research
The prevalence of dysplastic naevi was studied in a population‐based survey of 380 30 to 39‐year‐old and 50 to 59‐year‐old non‐Maoris in Milton, a small town in the south of New Zealand. Photographs of all pigmented naevi ≥ 4 mm in diameter were taken during the survey and subsequently evaluated by two experienced reviewers. Nine percent of the group (95% CI, 6%–13%) were judged to have one or more dysplastic naevi. Interobserver agreement over the diagnosis of dysplastic naevi was 85% (kappa = 0.55). Dysplastic naevi were associated with higher counts of moles ≥ 2 mm in diameter, 50 or more such moles increased the likelihood of having three or more dysplastic naevi about 40‐fold. Naevi judged to be dysplastic were, therefore, relatively common and were associated with increased numbers of common moles.