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Published on: November 29, 2018
The diagnostic yield in submitting nevi for histologic examination
M C Reeck1, T Y Chuang, T J Eads
1Department of Dermatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-5267, USA.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
|April 3, 1999
Summary
A study found that 2.3% of benign melanocytic nevi clinically diagnosed by physicians were actually malignant tumors. Dermatologists were more accurate than non-dermatologists in identifying these lesions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatopathology
- Oncology
- Medical Diagnosis
Background:
- Dermatologists possess expertise in diagnosing benign melanocytic nevi.
- Limited data exist on the diagnostic accuracy of benign melanocytic nevi.
- Few studies have compared diagnostic accuracy between dermatologists and non-dermatologists for cutaneous tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the rate of malignant tumors misdiagnosed as benign melanocytic nevi.
- To compare the diagnostic accuracy of dermatologists versus non-dermatologists for cutaneous lesions.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 7734 cutaneous pathology reports from a regional dermatopathology laboratory.
- Analysis of specimens with a preoperative clinical diagnosis of nevus or mole.
- Comparison of preoperative clinical diagnoses with postoperative histopathologic findings.
Main Results:
- 2.3% (45 of 1946) of lesions clinically diagnosed as benign nevi were histologically malignant.
- Malignant tumors included melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
- Dermatologists had a lower rate of misdiagnosing malignant tumors as benign nevi (1.3% vs. 3.8%).
Conclusions:
- Clinically diagnosed benign nevi have a 2.3% rate of being malignant tumors.
- The rate of malignancy in clinically diagnosed benign nevi warrants further consideration for histopathologic examination policies.
- Dermatologists demonstrate higher accuracy in distinguishing benign nevi from malignant cutaneous tumors.
