What predicts severe histological dysplasia/early melanoma in excised atypical melanocytic lesions?
It is frequently difficult to distinguish clinically atypical melanocytic lesions with severe histological atypia or early melanoma from those with mild to moderate histological atypia. As lesions likely to progress or already progressing to melanoma require excision, this distinction is of great importance. Strauss et al. retrospectively analysed the clinical characteristics of excised atypical melanocytic lesions with the aim to identify what predicts severe histological atypia/melanoma in situ compared with lesions with mild to moderate histological atypia. Only older age was predictive of severe histological atypia/melanoma in situ, confirming the difficulty to differentiate clinically between benign atypical naevi and borderline lesions. Br J Dermatol 2007; 157: 758–64.
