Caryometry of benign compound acquired naevi, Spitz epitheloid naevi and malignant melanomas

In order to get basic caryometric data later to be used in a prognostic study for malignant melanomas, caryometry of 7 compound acquired naevi, 8 Spitz epitheloid naevi and 83 cutaneous malignant melanomas was done and showed mean nuclear profile areas 32.9 microns 2, 73.6 microns 2 and 64.7 microns 2, respectively. Only minimal overlapping existed between the compound acquired naevi and the two other tumour types. Similar differences existed concerning mean maximal profile diameter, proportion of large nuclei and width of nuclear histograms. Mean form factor was lower for the malignant melanomas than for the naevi. The nuclei of the superficial layer of the compound naevi and the Spitz naevi were larger than those of the deep layer. A similar consistent pattern did not exist for the malignant melanomas.