Lentigo maligna melanoma

As a lentigo maligna (synonyms: Melanoma in situ, melanotic precancer, melanosis circumscripta praeblastomatosa Dubreuilh, Crohn Dubreuilh or Dubreuilh 's disease) is an intraepidermal called ( located in the epidermis ) neoplastic proliferation of atypical melanocytes. Typically, the lentigo maligna occurs beyond the age of 50, men are twice as likely to be affected as women.

Formation

As the source mechanism, a long-time UV exposure is suspected, particularly affected here are the regular sun-exposed areas such as the head, neck, forearms or lower legs, but may occur in all parts of the body. DNA damage of melanocytes is presumed thus forming a work of malignant cell clone in the epidermis. In such malignant transformation it is called a melanoma in situ, can it a lentigo malignant melanoma by tumor growth arise.

Clinic / diagnosis

Over the years, resulting gray-brown to black pigmented lesions with ill-defined margins and different size of lentigo maligna go ahead. Here, the distinction between lentigo senilis for is important. In addition to clinical assessment, the histopathological diagnosis is required. The differential diagnosis of lentigo senilis next lentigo simplex, the Seborrheic Keratosis and superficial spreading melanoma ( SSM) in question.

Therapy

Treatment is usually in the excision in toto, a complete surgical removal with lateral safety distance. At very numerous and / or unfavorably located herds laser treatment or X-ray irradiation with 100 Gy radiation dose can be performed. If a degeneration to a lentigo maligna melanoma has already occurred, no X-ray irradiation may be performed.

Forecast

With timely, adequate treatment (excision in healthy tissue ) are the chances of curing almost 100%. If there has already been the emergence of a lentigo maligna melanoma, the prognosis of stage I > 90%.