Your dermatologist has told you that a pathologist described a growth on your skin as an “atypical nevus”. You may ask, “Just what is a nevus, and what does ‘atypical’ mean? Is it dangerous for my health? Was all of it removed? Could it return and become something worse?”
Nevus - Mole
The words nevus and mole are often used to describe a dark spot in the skin. Moles may be present at birth or develop later in life. Acquired moles are a form of benign neoplasm, while congenital moles are considered a minor malformation, or hamartoma. Moles are most often of no medical consequence, but they may be removed for cosmetic or other reasons. Moles are usually circular or oval and not very large. Most infants are born with moles, and almost everyone has at least one or two moles on their bodies. Large numbers may be concentrated on the back, the chest and arms.
Dysplastic Nevus
Dysplastic nevi or dysplastic nevus syndrome is a condition describing a person with a large quantity of moles, some of them larger than normal and/or atypical.
This condition is associated with a higher risk of malignant melanoma. More than half of malignant melanomas arise 'de novo', rather than from a pre-existing nevus.
Nevertheless, since atypical nevi are at a higher risk of evolving into a malignant melanoma, they need to be checked regularly for any changes in appearance.
Atypical
The major reason your doctor sends a sample of a mole to a laboratory is to rule out the possibility of a melanoma. The laboratory may report your mole to be dysplastic or atypical and have some “architectural disorder” but without enough features to call it a melanoma. A nevus is also described as a Clark’s nevus or a dysplastic melanocytic nevus.
Moles, known medically as nevi, are clusters of pigmented cells that often appear as small, dark brown spots on your torso, face, arms and legs. But moles can come in a range of colors and can develop virtually anywhere, including your scalp, armpits, under your nails, and between your fingers and toes.
Most people have between 10 and 40 moles, although the number you have may change throughout life. New moles can persist into mid-adulthood, and because moles last about 50 years, some moles may disappear as you age.
The great majority of moles are harmless, but in rare cases, moles may become cancerous. Monitoring moles and other pigmented patches is an important step in the diagnosis of skin cancer, especially malignant melanoma. Although not all melanomas develop from pre-existing moles, many begin in or near a mole or other dark spot on the skin.
Although the typical mole is a plain, brown spot, moles come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. They can be flesh-colored, reddish-brown, medium to dark brown, or blue; they may vary in shape from oval to round, and be as small as a pinhead or large enough to cover an entire limb.
Moles that are larger than 8 inches in diameter and present at birth are a special problem. They may need to be removed to avoid the risk of malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
The surface of a mole can be smooth or wrinkled, flat or raised. Sometimes a mole may start out flat and brown and later become slightly raised and lighter in color. Some may become raised enough that they form a small stalk; others may simply disappear.
Although most moles develop by age 20, they may continue to appear until midlife. There are also certain
times in your life when moles are more apt to change; for example, they're likely to become darker, larger and more numerous because of hormonal changes during adolescence and pregnancy or with the use of birth control pills.