Rapid Growth and Evolution of a Dysplastic Nevus During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, many patients may experience changes in the size or characteristics of pigmented lesions including common and dysplastic nevi. These changes can be a cause for concern for the patient and their physician due to the potential for melanoma. Over the past several decades conflicting data has been reported about the relationship between pregnancy and the peripartum period and melanocytic nevi/melanoma. Although recent evidence suggests that prognosis is not worse among pregnant patients who develop melanoma, the discovery of several distinct types of estrogen receptors present in skin and effects of other hormones on melanoma suggest possible mechanisms through which melanocytic lesions may evolve. Many observations among patients with dysplastic nevus syndrome and those without this diagnosis can provide some evidence for how and why melanocytic lesions may change during pregnancy and provide support for clinical decisions in managing such concerns. Here we describe the case of a 27-year-old female who presented to the clinic with concerns of two moles which evolved and grew in diameter during two successive pregnancies but had no changes in the intervening time period.