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Spindle and Epithelioid Cell (Spitz) Nevus and Variants

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Melanocytic Lesions

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Abstract

An important watershed in the pathology of pigmented lesions was the work of Sophie Spitz carried out that defined juvenile melanoma, the lesion that we now call spindle and/or epithelioid cell nevus of Spitz. These seminal findings have allowed for the identification of a subset of lesions with rapid growth that have a characteristic spindle and epithelioid histologic appearance. The discovery of these lesions has also led to an understanding of variants of spindle and epithelioid cell tumor that do not show the maturation of the Spitz nevi but form expansile nodule. Some of these lesions that have been referred as atypical Spitz nevi/tumors can rarely metastasize. A grading system for risk stratification in patients younger than 18 years of age based on age, tumor size, and histologic parameters has been proposed. Of interest, an atypical Spitz tumor with positive sentinel lymph node does not correlate with poor prognosis as seen in conventional melanoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Mai P. Hoang MD & Martin C. Mihm Jr. MD

  2. Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street Warren 820, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Mai P. Hoang MD

  3. Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Martin C. Mihm Jr. MD

  4. Melanoma Program, Dana Farber Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, 41 Louis Pasteur Avenue, Room 317B, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Martin C. Mihm Jr. MD

Authors
  1. Mai P. Hoang MD
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  2. Martin C. Mihm Jr. MD
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Mai P. Hoang MD or Martin C. Mihm Jr. MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pathology Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Mai P. Hoang

  2. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Deptartment of Pathology, Harvard Med School Melanoma Program in Dermatology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Martin C. Mihm Jr.

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Hoang, M.P., Mihm, M.C. (2014). Spindle and Epithelioid Cell (Spitz) Nevus and Variants. In: Hoang, M., Mihm Jr., M. (eds) Melanocytic Lesions. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0891-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0891-2_5

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