THE PREVALENCE OF MELANOCYTIC NEVI IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Clinical and morphological diagnosis of benign melanocytic lesions and melanoma in children and adolescents is often difficult, since melanocytic tumors of this age may demonstrate atypical features and simulate a number of other neoplastic processes (both benign and malignant). Thus, diagnosing skin melanoma in children, which belongs to very rare tumors, can be challenging and diagnostic errors are possible. The evaluation of prevalence of different melanocytic lesions in children can be helpful to improve diagnostic accuracy. The study was conducted at the Pathology Department of the Scientific and Clinical Multidisciplinary Center for Help for Mothers and Children n.a. Z.I. Kruglaya in Orel. Histological slides of 284 melanocytic tumors, obtained from patients aged 0 to 17 years, were analyzed. According to the results, 93.6% of lesions were common nevi, 3.9% - nevi with spitzoid morphology, 1.4% - combined nevus, 0.7% - blue nevus. Malignant melanoma of the skin was detected in 1 case (0.4%). The analysis of melanocytic tumors in children and adolescents, determination of the prevalence of skin melanoma and benign lesions capable of simulating melanoma, can improve the quality of pathological diagnostics and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.