[Multiple Spitz nevus].

Abstract

Benign juvenile melanoma was originally described and differentiated from malignant melanoma by Sophie Spitz in 1948. The solitary form is the most frequent and usually appears on the face and extremities of young children and adolescents as a solitary, hairless, dome-shaped papule or nodule, varying in size from 3 to 15 mm. It can be of a wide spectrum of colors including pink, yellow, red, brown, purple and black, representing 1% to 8% of melanocytic tumors in children. Histologically, Spitz nevus has been subdivided into junctional, compound and intradermal type according to the location of neoplastic melanocytes in the skin. Rarely multiple benign juvenile melanoma arranged in clusters (agminated) or widespread (disseminated) are described. Less than 50 cases have been reported in the world literature. The grouped form usually occurs on the face of children on normal, but also hyperpigmented or hypopigmented skin, while the disseminated one in adults. A case of multiple agminated Spitz nevus arised on the face of a 2 years old girl is reported. The clinical presentations with a 3 years follow-up and the histologic features of this nevus are described as well as the therapeutic approach.