Definition
Melanocytic nevi of the oral mucosa are benign tumors of melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the skin and juxtacutaneous mucous membranes, including the oral mucosa. Melanocytic nevi are much less common in the oral mucosa than on the skin.
Melanocytic nevi can be congenital or acquired (developmental) in origin. Histologically, oral melanocytic nevi are classified into ordinary nevi (junctional, compound, intramucosal) and common blue nevus.
The earliest presentation is that of a junctional (epidermal) nevus, with years proliferating into a compound nevus, with a decreasing amount of pigmentation. Finally, as time passes, the nevus gradually loses its pigmentation and changes into an intramucosal nevus (Müller 2010).
Clinically oral nevi are symptomless, well-circumscribed macules or slightly raised papules. They can be brown, bluish gray, or almost black and sometimes appear...
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References and Further Reading
Buchner, A., & Hansen, L. S. (1987). Pigmented nevi of the oral mucosa: A clinicopathologic study of 36 new cases and review of 155 cases from the literature. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, and Oral Pathology, 63, 676–682.
Buchner, A., Merrell, P. W., & Carpenter, W. M. (2004). Relative frequency of solitary melanocytic lesions of the oral mucosa. Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, 33, 550–557.
Gazit, D., & Daniels, T. E. (1994). Oral melanocytic lesions: Differences in expression of HMB-45 and S-100 antigens in round and spindle cells of malignant and benign lesions. Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, 23, 60–64.
Meleti, M., Mooi, W. J., Casparie, M. K., & van der Waal, I. (2007). Melanocytic nevi of the oral mucosa – No evidence of increased risk for oral malignant melanoma: An analysis of 119 cases. Oral Oncology, 43, 976–981.
Müller, S. (2010). Melanin-associated pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa: Presentation, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Dermatologic Therapy, 23, 220–229.
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van der Wal, J.E. (2018). Naevi. In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_743-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_743-1
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