Melanocytic Lesions: From Benign Nevi to Melanoma

This video, featuring Dr. Jennifer Vickers, provides an excellent and comprehensive overview of melanocytic lesions in dermatopathology. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of how to differentiate between benign nevi and various types of melanoma.

The presentation covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Benign Nevi: The video starts by defining the characteristics of a normal nevus before moving on to less common variants like dysplastic, congenital, balloon cell, and blue nevi.
• Challenging Diagnoses: Dr. Vickers explains how to identify a recurrent nevus, which can be mistaken for melanoma due to its atypical appearance, and a Spitz nevus, known for its unique histological pattern.
• Melanoma: The core of the talk is dedicated to melanoma, with detailed examples of melanoma in situ, acral melanoma (on the palms/soles), and the particularly difficult-to-diagnose desmoplastic melanoma.
• BAP1-Inactivated Nevus: The video concludes with a discussion of this specific lesion, highlighting its unique features and its association with an increased risk of certain cancers.