How can you tell the difference between melanoma and nevus?

How can you tell the difference between melanoma and nevus?

Skin examination involves assessing the number of nevi present and distinguishing between typical and atypical lesions….Early melanomas may be differentiated from benign nevi by the ABCDs, as follows:

1. A – Asymmetry.
2. B – Border irregularity.
3. C – Color that tends to be very dark black or blue and variable.
4. D – Diameter ≥6 mm.

Can a blue nevus turn malignant?

Although most cases of blue nevi are benign, there is a small possibility that a cellular blue nevus can undergo malignant transformation and become a malignant cellular blue nevus (MCBN). Thus, a biopsy of any changing or suspicious lesion should be done.

Should Cellular blue nevi be excised?

Blue nevi are benign lesions and do not need to be excised if the diagnosis is clear. If there is a question about the diagnosis, an excisional biopsy attempting to remove the entire lesion could be considered. The melanocytes of a blue nevus are often quite deep and a shave biopsy may transect the lesion.

How can you tell if blue nevus is cancerous?

Cancerous nevi may appear as a common or cellular blue nevus but develop at a later age and may start to look like ulcers. They may also have a more nodular or plaque-like form….Other common characteristics are:

1. small size.
2. round shape.
3. raised or flat surface.
4. smooth surface.
5. size between 1 and 5 millimeters.

How do dermatologists determine if a mole is cancerous?

A visual check of your skin only finds moles that may be cancer. It can’t tell you for sure that you have it. The only way to diagnose the condition is with a test called a biopsy. If your doctor thinks a mole is a problem, they will give you a shot of numbing medicine, then scrape off as much of the mole as possible.

Can a blue nevus be malignant?

A blue nevus is a small patch of bluish discoloration on the skin, and it usually is benign. In some cases, however, these growths can become malignant and might develop into melanoma — or melanoma appears to be a blue nevus at first and then reveals its true colors.

Does a blue mole mean possible melanoma?

A blue appearing mole isn’t necessarily a melanoma. In a benign mole of this color, the pigment cells are deeper in the skin. “Often solitary” does not mean, however, that blue melanomas can never be clustered, as in the metastatic melanomas below.

Is blue nevus cancerous?

Presence of a blue nevus or a cellular blue nevus: While most nevi never become cancerous (or malignant), a small number of atypical/dysplastic nevi (moles with abnormal shape/borders/color) may turn cancerous.

Is melanocytic nevus malignant?

Although melanocytic nevi are examples of what are called benign neoplasms, or non-cancerous growths, they have the potential to become malignant, or cancerous. A congenital melanocytic nevus carries a higher risk of melanoma development.