Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Epidemiology and Natural History

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Lentigo Maligna Melanoma

Abstract

Lentigo maligna is on the rise, with an increasing incidence rate over the past few decades. Areas of high UV flux, such as the southern United States or Hawaii tend to have a higher incidence than areas with lower UV flux, such as the northern United States. Among other risk factors, a higher cumulative UV exposure is associated with development of lentigo maligna, helping to explain its propensity towards chronically sun exposed areas such as the head and neck. The risk of progression from lentigo maligna to lentigo maligna melanoma has been reported to range from 5–20 %. The evolving role of genetics may help providers to better understand lentigo maligna, as compared to other forms of melanoma in situ.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McGovern VJ, Shaw HM, Milton GW, Farago GA. Is malignant melanoma arising in a Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle a separate disease entity? Histopathology. 1980;4:235–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Jackson R. Hutchinson’s archives of surgery revisited. Arch Dermatol. 1977;113:961–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Silvers DN. Focus on melanoma: the therapeutic dilemma of lentigo maligna (Hutchinson’s freckle). J Dermatol Surg. 1976;2:301–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Scolyer RA, Long GV, Thompson JF. Evolving concepts in melanoma classification and their relevance to multidisciplinary melanoma patient care. Mol Oncol. 2011;5:124–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Haensch R. Tyrosinase activity in three types of the malignant melanoma: superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma and nodular melanoma. Arch Dermatol Forsch. 1975;252:193–201.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Clark Jr WH, Mihm Jr MC. Lentigo maligna and lentigo-maligna melanoma. Am J Pathol. 1969;55:39–67.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Golger A, Young DS, Ghazarian D, Neligan PC. Epidemiological features and prognostic factors of cutaneous head and neck melanoma: a population-based study. Arch Otolaryngol. 2007;133:442–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cox NH, Aitchison TC, Sirel JM, MacKie RM. Comparison between lentigo maligna melanoma and other histogenetic types of malignant melanoma of the head and neck. Scottish Melanoma Group. Br J Cancer. 1996;73:940–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. English DR, Heenan PJ, Holman CD, et al. Melanoma in Western Australia in 1980–81: incidence and characteristics of histological types. Pathology. 1987;19:383–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Urist MM, Balch CM, Soong SJ, et al. Head and neck melanoma in 534 clinical Stage I patients. A prognostic factors analysis and results of surgical treatment. Ann Surg. 1984;200:769–75.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Koh HK, Michalik E, Sober AJ, et al. Lentigo maligna melanoma has no better prognosis than other types of melanoma. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 1984;2:994–1001.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Swetter SM, Boldrick JC, Jung SY, Egbert BM, Harvell JD. Increasing incidence of lentigo maligna melanoma subtypes: northern California and national trends 1990–2000. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125:685–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Holman CD, Mulroney CD, Armstrong BK. Epidemiology of pre-invasive and invasive malignant melanoma in Western Australia. Int J Cancer. 1980;25:317–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Newell GR, Sider JG, Bergfelt L, Kripke ML. Incidence of cutaneous melanoma in the United States by histology with special reference to the face. Cancer Res. 1988;48:5036–41.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Mirzoyev SA, Knudson RM, Reed KB, et al. Incidence of lentigo maligna in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1970 to 2007. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;70:443–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Temple CL, Arlette JP. Mohs micrographic surgery in the treatment of lentigo maligna and melanoma. J Surg Oncol. 2006;94:287–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lemish WM, Heenan PJ, Holman CD, Armstrong BK. Survival from preinvasive and invasive malignant melanoma in Western Australia. Cancer. 1983;52:580–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Little JH, Holt J, Davis N. Changing epidemiology of malignant melanoma in Queensland. Med J Aust. 1980;1:66–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Foley PA, Marks R, Dorevitch AP. Lentigo maligna is more common on the driver’s side. Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:1211–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tiodorovic-Zivkovic D, Argenziano G, Lallas A, et al. Age, gender, and topography influence the clinical and dermoscopic appearance of lentigo maligna. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015;72:801–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Arlette JP, Trotter MJ, Trotter T, Temple CL. Management of lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma: seminars in surgical oncology. J Surg Oncol. 2004;86:179–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bienert TN, Trotter MJ, Arlette JP. Treatment of cutaneous melanoma of the face by Mohs micrographic surgery. J Cutan Med Surg. 2003;7:25–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kvaskoff M, Siskind V, Green AC. Risk factors for lentigo maligna melanoma compared with superficial spreading melanoma: a case–control study in Australia. Arch Dermatol. 2012;148:164–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Greenwald G. Letter: lentigo maligna associated with porphyria cutanea tarda. Arch Dermatol. 1974;110:298.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Barnett JH, Lee FG, Rinsky MJ. Acral lentiginous melanoma and lentigo maligna occurring in Werner’s syndrome. Cutis. 1983;32:277–9. 83.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Fukuro S, Yamaguchi J, Mamada A, Kondo S, Satoh Y. Xeroderma pigmentosum group D patient bearing lentigo maligna without neurological symptoms. Dermatologica. 1990;181:129–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Faghihi G, Radan M. Xeroderma pigmentosum and lentigo maligna in identical twins. J Dermatol Treatment. 2006;17:241–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Spatz A, Giglia-Mari G, Benhamou S, Sarasin A. Association between DNA repair-deficiency and high level of p53 mutations in melanoma of Xeroderma pigmentosum. Cancer Res. 2001;61:2480–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Stoll DB, Ruschak P, Kauh Y, Martin J, Luscombe H. Lentigo maligna in a woman with oculocutaneous albinism. Arch Dermatol. 1981;117:360–1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Grinspan D, Paz A, Abulafia J, Mosto S. Melanoma (Hutchinson’s lentigo maligna) having spontaneous regression. A case of immunologic importance. Med Cutan Ibero Lat Am. 1980;8:33–45.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Jackson R, Williamson GS, Beattie WG. Lentigo maligna and malignant melanoma. Can Med Assoc J. 1966;95:846–51.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Bosbous MW, Dzwierzynski WW, Neuburg M. Staged excision of lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma: a 10-year experience. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;124:1947–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Hazan C, Dusza SW, Delgado R, Busam KJ, Halpern AC, Nehal KS. Staged excision for lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma: a retrospective analysis of 117 cases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58:142–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Somach SC, Taira JW, Pitha JV, Everett MA. Pigmented lesions in actinically damaged skin. Histopathologic comparison of biopsy and excisional specimens. Arch Dermatol. 1996;132:1297–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Penneys NS. Microinvasive lentigo maligna melanoma. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1987;17:675–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Weinstock MA, Sober AJ. The risk of progression of lentigo maligna to lentigo maligna melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 1987;116:303–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Ko JM, Fisher DE. A new era: melanoma genetics and therapeutics. J Pathol. 2011;223:241–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Sosman JA, Kim KB, Schuchter L, et al. Survival in BRAF V600-mutant advanced melanoma treated with vemurafenib. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:707–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Saldanha G, Potter L, Daforno P, Pringle JH. Cutaneous melanoma subtypes show different BRAF and NRAS mutation frequencies. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12:4499–505.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Lee JH, Choi JW, Kim YS. Frequencies of BRAF and NRAS mutations are different in histological types and sites of origin of cutaneous melanoma: a meta-analysis. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164:776–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Stadelmeyer E, Heitzer E, Resel M, Cerroni L, Wolf P, The DN, BRAF. V600K mutation is more frequent than the BRAF V600E mutation in melanoma in situ of lentigo maligna type. J Invest Dermatol. 2014;134:548–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Hacker E, Nagore E, Cerroni L, et al. NRAS and BRAF mutations in cutaneous melanoma and the association with MC1R genotype: findings from Spanish and Austrian populations. J Invest Dermatol. 2013;133:1027–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Menzies AM, Haydu LE, Visintin L, et al. Distinguishing clinicopathologic features of patients with V600E and V600K BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2012;18:3242–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Viros A, Fridlyand J, Bauer J, et al. Improving melanoma classification by integrating genetic and morphologic features. PLoS Med. 2008;5, e120.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Akslen LA, Puntervoll H, Bachmann IM, et al. Mutation analysis of the EGFR-NRAS-BRAF pathway in melanomas from black Africans and other subgroups of cutaneous melanoma. Melanoma Res. 2008;18:29–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Ugurel S, Thirumaran RK, Bloethner S, et al. B-RAF and N-RAS mutations are preserved during short time in vitro propagation and differentially impact prognosis. PLoS ONE. 2007;2, e236.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Poynter JN, Elder JT, Fullen DR, et al. BRAF and NRAS mutations in melanoma and melanocytic nevi. Melanoma Res. 2006;16:267–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Lang J, MacKie RM. Prevalence of exon 15 BRAF mutations in primary melanoma of the superficial spreading, nodular, acral, and lentigo maligna subtypes. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125:575–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Sasaki Y, Niu C, Makino R, et al. BRAF point mutations in primary melanoma show different prevalences by subtype. J Invest Dermatol. 2004;123:177–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Maldonado JL, Fridlyand J, Patel H, et al. Determinants of BRAF mutations in primary melanomas. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95:1878–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Brown University, 593 Eddy St, APC10, Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    H. William Higgins MD MBE & Martin A. Weinstock MD PhD

  2. Dermatoepidmiology Unit, VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA

    Martin A. Weinstock MD PhD

Authors
  1. H. William Higgins MD MBE
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin A. Weinstock MD PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. William Higgins MD MBE .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Attending Physician, Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

    Kishwer S. Nehal

  2. Attending Pathologist Director of Dermatopathology Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

    Klaus J. Busam

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Higgins, H.W., Weinstock, M.A. (2017). Epidemiology and Natural History. In: Nehal, K., Busam, K. (eds) Lentigo Maligna Melanoma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43787-3_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43787-3_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43785-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43787-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation