Thursday, December 12, 2024

Lentigo maligna

The patient is a 73 year old woman with a pigmented macule at the commisure of the lip for a number of years.  The lesion measured 2 mm in diameter and it was excised with a 3 mm punch.  She has Type II skin and has had BCC of her nose treated with Mohs surgery a number of years ago.  She is in good general health.

Photos taken after suture removal.


Pathology: There is a confluent junctional proliferation of pleomorphic melanocytes that exhibit pagetoid upward migration on a background of epidermal atrophy and solar elastosis.


These are the features of the lentigo maligna variant of melanoma in situ.

Diagnosis: Melanoma-in-situ, Lentigo maligna type

Question:  This is a very early lesion and surgical treatment may be overkill.  What are your thoughts re: imiquimod, vs. Mohs, vs. watchful waiting?

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