Melanocytic nevus with atypical dermoscopic features at the site of radiodermatitis.

BACKGROUND

Radiation therapy can cause acute and chronic damage of the skin.

OBJECTIVE

A 71-year-old woman presented with an atrophic and sclerotic plaque at a site previously treated with radiotherapy because of lung cancer. Inside the area affected by chronic radiodermatitis, she reported that a preexisting pigmentary lesion had gradually undergone morphologic changes after radiation therapy.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

On dermoscopy, the lesion showed features highly suspicious for malignant melanoma. The lesion was excised and examined histopathologically.

RESULTS

The histopathologic diagnosis was compound congenital melanocytic nevus associated with prominent dermal sclerosis and epidermal atrophy.

CONCLUSIONS

The existence of melanocytes within an atrophic and fibrotic area is a finding typically associated with recurrent or persistent melanocytic lesions. It is likely that the "pseudomelanoma" features of the lesion observed in our patient might have been secondary to the skin changes induced by radiation therapy.