Review Article   

Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology 2022 Mar 11

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8671.22.07262-0

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Dermoscopic features of nevoid melanoma: a retrospective study with systematic literature review

Francesco BELLINATO ✉, Paolo ROSINA, Marco ZARATTINI, Paolo GISONDI, Giampiero GIROLOMONI

Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

INTRODUCTION: Nevoid melanoma (NeM) is a rare variant of melanoma resembling melanocytic nevus. The objective of the study is to systematically review the dermoscopic features of NeM.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted. Dermoscopic features of NeMs diagnosed through excisional biopsy between 1 January 2015 and 1 March 2021 were compared to superficial spreading melanomas (SSMs) matched by Breslow’s thickness. Secondly a systematic literature review was performed. Electronic searches on PubMed® database via MEDLINE was conducted to retrieve any manuscript reporting detailed dermoscopic features of histopathologically confirmed NeM.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 60 MM comprising 20 NeM and 40 SSM were collected. Twelve out of 20 (60%) NeM showed a nevus-like appearance, including reticular and globular pattern, and in 35% of these cases it was detected because of dermoscopic changes. Then, a total of seven original manuscripts were retrieved from the literature review, comprising 56 cases overall. NeM showed nevus-like pattern in 53% of the cases, multicomponent pattern in 21% and amelanotic in 9%. Enlargement, irregularly distributed dots/globules, irregular pigmentation, and atypical vascular pattern were found in NeM with nevus-like appearance. NeM with multicomponent pattern were characterized by irregular pigmentation, blue-white veil, irregular dots and atypical vascular pattern. Amelanotic NeM is rare, and show atypical vascular pattern and milia-like cysts.
CONCLUSIONS: Dermoscopy of NeM is challenging as frequently showing a nevus-like pattern, but clues and detection of dermoscopic changes may help to identify it.

KEY WORDS: Dermoscopy; Melanoma; Nevus