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Updated: Feb 27, 2026
Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
Published on: June 7, 2019
Anatomic mapping and clinicopathologic analysis of benign acral melanocytic neoplasms: A comparison between adults
Na Hee Kim1, Yoo Duk Choi2, Hyun Ju Seon3
1Department of Dermatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Background:
The clinicopathologic features of benign acral melanocytic neoplasms (BAMNs) remain poorly understood.
Objective:
To define the clinicopathologic features of BAMNs.
Methods:
We analyzed clinical data and mapped BAMNs anatomically. We also reviewed the histopathologic features of BAMNs and compared these between adults and children.
Results:
We included 396 cases of BAMN: 335 adults and 61 children (376 acquired and 20 congenital lesions). Anatomic mapping revealed that the nonweight-bearing portion of the foot was the most common site in adults (120/335, 35.8%) and the forefoot the most common site in children (17/61, 27.9%) for BAMNs. The long axes of the BAMNs paralleled the dermatoglyphic lines on the palms and soles, as did most tissue sections. The lesion diameters were <5.7 mm in all acquired lesions. Histopathologically, we diagnosed 69 lentigo simplex, 201 junctional, 114 compound, 8 intradermal, and 4 blue nevi. Corneal pigmentation, nests located between rete ridges, dendrite prominence, and cytologic atypia were all significantly more common in children than adults.
Limitations:
The retrospective study design and acquiring patients from a single institution of a single country limited the research results.
Conclusion:
BAMNs develop most commonly on nonweight-bearing regions of the soles in adults and on the forefoot in children. The long axis of the lesion follows the dermatoglyphics, and cytologic atypia is more common in children.
