Spitz nevus

Spitz nevus
Classification and external resources
Spitz nevus
ICD-10	D22 (ILDS D22.L32)
ICD-O:	M8770/0
DiseasesDB	29807
eMedicine	article/1059623
MeSH	D018332

A Spitz nevus (also known as an "Epithelioid and spindle-cell nevus,"^[1] "Benign juvenile melanoma"^[1]:691, and "Spitz's juvenile melanoma"^[2]) is a benign melanocytic nevus, a type of skin lesion, affecting the epidermis and dermis.^[3]

Spitz nevus is also known as spindle and epithelioid cell nevus and juvenile melanoma. The latter term is generally no longer used as it is misleading: it is not a melanoma, it is a benign lesion; it can also occur in adults, not only in children.^[4]

Epidemiology

Spitz nevi are uncommon. Their annual incidence was estimated in a coastal population of sub-tropical Queensland to be 1.4 cases per 100,000 people. For comparison, the annual incidence of melanoma in the same population, which is high by world standards ^[5] is 25.4 cases per 100,000 people.^[4]

Whilst they are most commonly found on people in their first two decades of life^[3], the age range for people with Spitz nevi is from six months to 71 years, with a mean age of twenty-two years and a median age of nineteen years. ^[4]

Pathology

Micrograph of a Spitz nevus showing the characteristic vertically arranged nests of cells ("hanging bananas"). H&E stain.

The cause of Spitz nevi is not yet known. There is an association with sunburn, but causation is not established. ^[3] Genetic studies of Spitz nevi have shown that most cells have the normal number of chromosomes, however a minority (25%) of cells have been shown to contain extra copies of parts of some chromosomes, such as the short arm of chromosome 11 (11p). ^[3]

Spitz nevi characteristically have vertically arranged nests of nevus cells that have both a spindled and an epithelioid morphology. Apoptotic cells may be seen at the dermal-epidermal junction. The main histologic differential diagnoses are pigmented spindle cell nevus and malignant melanoma.

Eponym

The lesion is named after Dr.Sophie Spitz, the pathologist who originally described it in 1948.^[6]

See also

• List of cutaneous conditions
• Melanoma with features of a Spitz nevus

References

1. ^ ^{a b} James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0. 
2. ^ Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. pp. 1728–30. ISBN 1-4160-2999-0. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} LeBoit, PE, Burg G, Weedon D, Sarasin A. (Eds) World Health Organization Classification of Tumours: Pathology and Genetics of Skin Tumours. Lyon: IARCPress. 2006.
4. ^ ^{a b c} Crotty, K. Spitz Naevus: Histological features and distinction from malignant melanoma. Australasian Journal of Dermatology. 38 (suppl): S49-S53. 1997.
5. ^ Ries LAG, et al., eds. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2000. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2003: Tables XVI-1-9.
6. ^ Spitz S. Melanomas of childhood. Am. J. Pathol.1948;24:591-609.

This cutaneous condition article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Cutaneous condition stubs Melanocytic nevi and neoplasms Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР Desmoplastic fibroma Desmoplastic melanoma Look at other dictionaries: Spitz nevus — (spits) [Sophie Spitz, American pathologist, 1910–1956] see under nevus …   Medical dictionary Melanoma with features of a Spitz nevus — (also known as a Spitzoid melanoma ) is a cutaneous condition characterized histologically with tissue similar to a spitz nevus and with overall symmetry and a dermal nodule of epithelioid melanocytes that do not mature with progressively deeper… …   Wikipedia Nevus of Ota — Classification and external resources ICD 10 D22.3 (ILDS D22.301) DiseasesDB …   Wikipedia Spitz (disambiguation) — Spitz can refer to:Spitz, a type of dog, including specific breeds: *Finnish Spitz *German Spitz *Icelandic Spitz *Japanese Spitz ;Places *Spitz, Austria, a town in the district of Krems Land in Austria;People * Brad Spitz, musician * Carl Spitz… …   Wikipedia Nevus — Not to be confused with Naevius, Nevis, or Nevius. Naevus and Nevi redirect here. For the British experimental rock group, see Naevus (band). For the Eritrean footballer, see Nevi Ghebremeskez. For the Norwegian bank, see Nevi (company). Nevus… …   Wikipedia Nevus — A pigmented spot on the skin, such as a mole. The plural of nevus is nevi. * * * 1. A circumscribed malformation of the skin, especially if colored by hyperpigmentation or increased vascularity; a n. may be predominantly epidermal, adnexal,… …   Medical dictionary Spitz — Sophie, 20th century U.S. pathologist. See S. nevus …   Medical dictionary Melanocytic nevus — Classification and external resources Mole, more specifically an intradermal nevus ICD 10 D22 …   Wikipedia Dysplastic nevus — Classification and external resources ICD 10 D48.5 (ILDS D48.540) ICD 9 238.2 …   Wikipedia Congenital melanocytic nevus — Classification and external resources Congenital nevus ICD 10 D22 (ILDS D22.L60) The congenital melanocytic nevus is a type of …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”