Brachial melanoma

A 54-year-old man had a rapidly growing lesion on his right back for 6 months.

Dermoscopy revealed:

• a vascular pattern with some polymorphous and atypical vessels
• peripheral pigmentation
• irregular globules
• eccentric blotches

Pathology revealed a superficial spreading melanoma with Breslow index at 1.53 mm

Nodular lesion

A 57-year-old woman consulted for this nodular lesion on her right chest.

Dermoscopy revealed:

• a non pigmented lesion
• remnant of pigmentation (red circles)
• a pink veil
• atypical and polymorphous vessels

Pathology revealed a nodular melanoma (Breslow index 1.6mm)

A changing lesion on his back...

A 30-year-old man consulted for a pigmentend lesion on his back. His wife noticed this lesion was slowly changing.

Dermoscopy revealed an atypical a reticular network, an irregular pigmentation, and an atypical vascular pattern.

This lesion was excised and pathology revealed a superficial spreading melanoma with a vertical extension, with a Breslow index at 1.3mm.

Superficial spreading melanoma

A 66-year-old man consulted for a pigmented lesion on his left scapular area.

Dermoscopy revealed a multi-component pattern, asymmetry, and multiple colours (tan, dark brown, black, blue gray, white).
Other signs were an atypical reticular pattern (irregular holes and thick lines) with a sharp demarcation, a blue-white veil and atypical vessels (irregular linear vessels), a central ulceration (crust). Dots were irregularly distributed.

All these dermoscopic signs were in favor of a superficial spreading melanoma.

Invasive melanoma

A 62-year-old man consulted for this multicolored tumor on his scapular area. This lesion was clinically in favor of an advanced invasive melanoma (nodular melanoma).



Asymmetrical pigmentation pattern, multiple colours , atypical vessels, atypical reticular pattern, blue-white veil, and ulceration were found in this case of invasive melanoma, Breslow thickness 9mm





Other cases of melanoma
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Atypical dermatofibroma with vascular pattern

A 68-year-old man consulted for this lesion on his right leg present for more than 15 years.
Dermoscopy revealed some light brown globules (*) and a vascular pattern with polymorphous vessels: hairpin vessels, dotted vessels, and linear-irregular vessels.
A biopsy was performed and revealed a dermatofibroma.
Dermatofibromas with vascular pattern have been reported in the literature (D.Picolo, K.Peris, page 287, in color atlas of melanocytic lesions of the skin, Springer edition, 2007)

Amelanotic melanoma

A 48-year-patient consulted for this red rapidly enlarging tumor of her right buttock.


The dermoscopy (x20) revealed remnants of pigmentation and atypical irregular vessels in favor of an amelanotic melanoma.

The lesion was removed and pathology revealed a spitzoid melanoma with Breslow index at 1.60mm.
No mestastases were detected