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Melanoma in association with acquired melanocytic nevus in Japan: a review of cases in the literature
Author(s) -
Togawa Y.,
Nakamura Y.,
Kamada N.,
Kambe N.,
Takahashi Y.,
Matsue H.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04602.x
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , dermatology , melanocytic nevus , superficial spreading melanoma , trunk , nevus , acral lentiginous melanoma , pathology , ecology , cancer research , biology
Background Malignant melanomas clinically and/or histologically associated with melanocytic nevi have been reported worldwide. Approximately 20% of malignant melanomas in Caucasians, most of which are found on the trunk and proximal extremities, develop in association with pre‐existing melanocytic nevi. In Japan, however, over half of all melanomas are acral lentiginous melanomas (ALMs) on the hands and feet; melanomas on sun‐exposed areas are seen less frequently in Japanese people than in Caucasians. As ALMs are not usually accompanied by melanocytic nevi and there have been no reviews of the literature or statistical data regarding Japanese cases of melanomas with melanocytic nevi, dermatologists in Japan have few opportunities to see melanomas associated with pre‐existing melanocytic nevi. Methods Here we report a case of a superficial spreading melanoma that was formed on a melanocytic nevus on the trunk, and we review for the first time the case reports from the Japanese literature. Results and Conclusions With regard to the reported cases, melanomas associated with melanocytic nevi were mainly superficial spreading melanomas and nodular melanomas on the trunk or extremities; ALMs were rarely associated with nevi, indicating a trend similar to that observed in Caucasians. These findings suggest that the low frequency of associations between melanomas and melanocytic nevi in Japan reflects racial differences in the frequencies of each type of melanoma.