Dermatoscopic shiny white structures in benign cutaneous tumours.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Dermatopathology

Background:

• Dermatoscopic features of shiny white structures (SWS) are well-documented in malignant skin tumors.
• Limited data exists regarding the presence and significance of SWS in benign skin neoplasms.
• Distinguishing benign from malignant skin lesions is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize the dermatoscopic features of SWS in common benign skin tumors.
• To determine the frequency and patterns of SWS occurrence in a large cohort of benign neoplasms.
• To assess whether SWS can serve as reliable indicators of malignancy in skin lesions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of a database containing histopathologically confirmed benign skin tumors.
• Dermatoscopic images were analyzed for the presence, quantity, distribution, and shape of SWS.
• Evaluation included 2420 cases of common benign skin neoplasms.

Main Results:

• Shiny white structures (SWS) were observed in 357 out of 2420 (14.8%) evaluated benign tumors.
• Highest frequencies of SWS were found in pyogenic granuloma (62%), angioma (55.8%), and adnexal tumors (50%).
• Lowest frequencies were noted in common nevi (1.6%) and solar lentigo (0%); SWS presence was not linked to sex or location.

Conclusions:

• Shiny white structures (SWS) are present in a significant proportion of various benign skin tumors.
• The occurrence of SWS in benign neoplasms, such as pyogenic granuloma and angioma, is common.
• SWS should not be exclusively interpreted as indicators of malignancy, as they appear across a spectrum of benign conditions.