What is a melanoform nevus? Not many people know the answer to this question. Although some people are still familiar with such an unpleasant phenomenon.
What a melanoform nevus looks like, what types of this formation exist, how they are diagnosed and treated, we will tell below.
Basic information
Melanoform nevi are acquired (during life) or congenital moles. In medical practice, such formations are often called a benign tumor. Although in some cases, such moles can still develop into malignant neoplasms.
Congenital melanoform nevus usually grows slowly (during the development of the human body). Having reached a certain size, such moles freeze.
General characteristics
Melanoform nevi are benign neoplasms that form in the process of pathological abnormalities during fetal development. Despite the fact that the spots in question are most often congenital, they become noticeable on the human body only in the process of growing up.
On the body of newborns and infants suchthere are practically no moles. Only 4-10% of all babies can have age spots. With age, such neoplasms can not only appear, but also disappear on their own. For example, if a person under the age of 25 has about 40 moles, then by the age of 30 there may be only 15-20 of them.
It should also be noted that in old age (from 80 years old) there are practically no nevi on the body.
The number of such birthmarks can increase significantly at the age of 18-25. Their sizes can also change.
Specialists say that the presence of a huge number of moles on the body is a sign of a high risk of melanoma. In this regard, such neoplasms must be monitored especially carefully.
Views
Melanoform nevus is a formation arising from altered melanocyte cells, or so-called nevocytes. Currently, the following types of such moles are distinguished:
- Non-cellular borderline. This is a simple spot, not rising, but slightly protruding above the surface of the skin. Such a nevus has a brown color and clear contours.
- Intradermal melanoform nevus. This is the most common type of birthmark. The accumulation of pigment cells is located in the thickness of the middle layer of the skin, that is, in the dermis.
- Complex pigment. Such a nevus rises above the skin. It may have a different color. Very often coarse hairs grow on it.
- Intradermal. This is a mole protruding abovesurface of the skin and having an uneven, bumpy surface. She usually appears between the ages of 12 and 30.
- Blue. Such a spot has a characteristic color due to the fact that it is associated with deposits of melanin under the skin. Blue nevi are firm to the touch and slightly raised above the skin.
- Basal. This is a type of mole that has a normal skin color.
- Nevus of Ota is usually located on the face in the form of "dirty" spots.
- Seton's nevus is a special kind of dermal spot when there is a patch of skin around it that is devoid of pigment.
- Nevus Ita is very similar to Nevus Ota, but is located under the collarbone, in the shoulder blade area, on the chest or neck.
- Papillomatous nevus is large, located at the back of the neck or on the head. Very often, hairs grow on it.
- Becker's nevus occurs in boys aged 11-15. Can reach up to 20 cm.
- Linear nevus appears from birth and is a group of small nodules that are located on the body in the form of a chain.
Melanoform nevus: ICD 10
The 10th Revision International Classification of Diseases is used as the leading statistical framework in he alth care. According to the mentioned document, the disease in question has the code - D22. The location of this disease in this classification is as follows:
- Nevus lips.
- Melanoform nevus of eyelid, including commissure of eyelids.
- Nevus of the ear and external ear canal.
- Nevus, unspecified andother parts of the face.
- Neck and scalp.
- Melanoform nevus of the trunk.
- Upper limb, including the area of the shoulder girdle.
- Nevus of the lower limb, including the hip area.
- Melanoform nevus, unspecified.
Doctor's Tasks
The doctor who diagnoses the disease in question faces a number of important tasks:
- Correctly determine the type of mole and determine the possibilities of its treatment.
- Recognize (in time) the beginning of the process of formation of malignant degeneration.
- Identify indications for other diagnostic methods (if necessary).
Patient examination
Examination of a patient with a birthmark begins with a conversation and examination. During the interview, the doctor establishes such important details as the period of appearance of the mole (since birth or with age), its behavior over the past time (for example, has it changed color, has it increased in size, etc.), previous diagnosis and treatment.
After questioning the patient, his examination follows. The doctor evaluates the size, shape and location of the spot, the presence of hair on it and other features. Then he makes an accurate diagnosis and prescribes therapeutic measures.
If necessary, the doctor conducts additional diagnostics. For this, swabs are taken from the mole. Indications for this research method are: bleeding, cracks on the surface of the birthmark.
Taking a smear from a nevus has a significant drawback. In the process, microtrauma can occur, which can subsequently provoke malignant growth. In this regard, such a study is carried out only in specialized oncological clinics.
Other diagnostic methods
The safest diagnostic method is fluorescent microscopy. At the same time, the mole is examined under a microscope, right on the human body.
Fluorescent microscopy is a safe, accurate and painless procedure. However, not all clinics have devices for its implementation.
Also, computer diagnostics are used to study a birthmark. Thanks to this technique, an image of a nevus is obtained, which is quickly compared with the existing database. As a result, the doctor can very quickly establish the correct diagnosis, and then prescribe treatment.
Laboratory diagnostics
This method is used to establish the process of degeneration of a birthmark into melanoma. If it becomes malignant, then special substances called tumor markers appear in the patient's blood. The detection of such allows you to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Choice of treatment method
Today there are several ways to treat age spots. They can be surgically excised or treated with other alternative methods.
The choice of therapy cannot be determined by the desires of oneselfpatient. Her testimony is determined by the doctor, taking into account factors such as:
- Peculiarities of pigment spots (risk of transition to melanoma, varieties, sizes).
- Availability of necessary equipment.
Surgical method
Surgical removal of a nevus (using a scalpel) is the most common technique, as it does not require the use of special equipment.
This tactic is shown in relation to moles that are large. The disadvantages of this method include the following:
- in accordance with the rules, the surgeon must remove not only the pigment spot, but also the integument that surrounds it (about 3-5 cm around);
- after removing a mole, scars and scars often remain;
- in young children, such a formation is almost always removed under general anesthesia.
It should also be noted that in some cases very large non-dermal moles have to be removed piecemeal. Doctors rarely resort to this method, since the remaining part of the spot is able to actively grow or degenerate into a malignant neoplasm.
Other removal methods
In addition to excision of the nevus with a scalpel, the following methods are used in modern clinics:
- Cryodestruction (this is the freezing of a mole).
- Electrocoagulation (high temperature action).
- Laser therapy.
It is impossible not to say that for the excision of birthmarks oftenusing radiosurgery. Their essence lies in the fact that a special device - a surgitron - generates a beam of radiation (radioactive), which is concentrated in the area of the pathological focus and removes it, without harming the surrounding tissues.
