The Canadian Journal of CME / March 2005 - PDF document

P The Canadian Journal of CME / March 2005 ÒHelp my haloed moles!ÓA healthy 15-year-old girl is concerned with hermoles. She recently noticed a white rim aroundsome of her melanocytic nevi and is unsureabout their significance. She worries aboutShould she be reassured?This is a case of halo nevus (SuttonÕs nevus), abenign condition in which a pigmented nevus issurrounded by a hypopigmented or depigmentedtowards nevomelanocytes.Halo nevus is seen predominantly inteenagers (mean age of 15 years) and affects viduals under the age of 20.In typical cases, the central pigmented nevusis symmetrical, homogeneous and has a regularborder. Its size usually varies between 3 mm and6 mm. The surrounding halo is even with a widthof a few millimetres to centimetres. Halo nevi are most commonly found on theupper back, although they can be found on anybody part. Twenty-five per cent to 50% of affect-ed individuals have more than one lesion.ith time, the central nevus can disappearcompletely (or up to 50%), stay unchanged orencompass some colour changes. Similarly, thehite halo can slowly disappear or persist Figure 1. Halo nevus. Are halo nevi a sign ofmalignant transformation?Halo nevi are rarely of any concern if theyare regular, symmetrical and homogenous (asis usually the case). However, as with anypigmented lesion, a careful skin examinationshould be performed. A personal and familyhistory should also be taken, paying particu-lar attention to a past history of atypical neviExcision should be considered in any clinically atypical lesion. Dr. LagacŽis a dermatology resident, CentreMontreal, Quebec. The Canadian Journal of CME / March 2005 Product monograph available upon request.® Registered trade-mark of Aventis Group.Used under licence by ventis Pharma Inc.,Laval,Quebec H7L 4A8.Aventis Pharma Inc.,member of the sano“-aventis Group