Recent studies have demonstrated that cathepsin K seems to be a powerful marker in identifying the microphthalmia associated transcription factor (MITF) family tumors such as renal perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PEComas), alveolar soft part sarcoma, and translocation-associated renal cell carcinomas. However, the expression of cathepsin K in melanocytic lesions has not been well chara...

BACKGROUND Apoptosis is important for maintenance of tissue homeostasis and often dysregulated in cutaneous neoplasms. The apoptosis inhibitor survivin is expressed in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers and benign keratinocytic lesions. Its expression has not been studied in melanocytic nevi. OBJECTIVE We determined the expression pattern of survivin in benign melanocytic nevi in comparis...

The pathologist often has a difficult task in evaluating melanocytic lesions. For lesions involving the face the consequences of misdiagnosis are compounded for both cosmetic and therapeutic reasons. In this article, the pathological features of common and uncommon benign and malignant melanocytic lesions are reviewed and pitfalls in their diagnosis are highlighted. Benign lesions resembling me...

Cutaneous melanocytic lesions with atypical histological features can be difficult to categorize as benign or malignant. In the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions, the melanocytic tumor of uncertain malignant potential (MELTUMP) category has been widely used. Although one may favor a benign or malignant interpretation, a definitive diagnosis is not always possible, and long term clinical follow-u...

Discrimination of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions is a major issue in clinical dermatology. Assessment of the thickness of melanoma is critical for prognosis and treatment selection. We aimed to evaluate a novel optical computed tomography (optical-CT) system as a tool for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of melanocytic lesions and its ability to discriminate benign from malignant melan...

Recurring nevus or pseudomelanoma is a benign melanocytic lesion that appears in the same location after an incomplete surgical removal of nevi. These pigmented melanocytic lesions can in some cases be a diagnostic challenge when examined through dermoscopy, especially if there is a clinical history of growth or recurrence of the lesion, as happens with the recurrent nevus phenomenon. Confocal ...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intense pulsed light (IPL) irradiator system for the treatment of benign pigmented lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 18 patients with lentigo solaris and eight patients with melanocytic nevi were treated once with an IPL system. After 2 months, the effect was evaluated on close-up photographs. RESUL...

PURPOSE To report impression cytology (IC) results of clinically diagnosed ocular surface melanocytic lesions. METHODS Ten patients with a clinical diagnosis of an ocular surface melanocytic lesion underwent IC using cellulose acetate strips and Periodic acid Schiff-Papanicolaou staining. Excisional biopsy of lesions was performed in case of observing atypical cells on IC or at the patient's ...

OBJECTIVE Misdiagnosis of melanocytic lesions can result in unnecessary psychological distress to patients, under- or overtreatment, inaccurate prognosis and improper follow-up and family member surveillance. It is well recognized that, despite many attempts to 1) put forth a set of histologic criteria that can accurately and reproducibly be used to diagnose melanocytic lesions, and 2) identify...

BACKGROUND Digital computer analysis of dermatoscopical images has been reported to facilitate the differential diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions in recent years. OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to perform digital computer analysis of a set of different melanocytic lesions and compare the objective results. METHODS The set of 260 melanocytic lesions (150 excised difficult cases (46 mel...