Biology of Precursor Lesions and Diagnosis
Giant Congenital Nevus and Malignant Melanoma

https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.1989.88Get rights and content
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Frequency of malignant transformation arising in giant congenital nevi is considered to be 4%–5%. More than a half of the patients in which malignant melanoma developed in giant congenital nevi were under the age of 10. It may be hypothesized that dermabrasion of giant congenital nevus may provoke malignant transformation.

Some of the cell groups in giant congenital nevus are potentially malignant. Some groups of nevus cells were larger in size than those of other portions of nevus. Electron microscopic observation revealed that nuclei of these larger nevus cells were significantly indented, and melanization of melanosomes was irregular.

Coexistence of α-like actin with β- and γ-actins in giant congenital nevus cells and disappearance of α-like actin in malignant melanoma cells were noted.

Abbreviations

GCN
giant congenital nevi
MM
malignant melanoma

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