Pathology of Melanocytic Nevi and Malignant Melanoma

255 colour photographs enhance this overview of the pigmented skin lesions with emphasis on differential diagnosis of benign lesons, premalignent lesions (dysplastic nevi) and their variants, and malignant lesions. Tumour progression, unusual locations and what they signify prognostically, and the diagnostic problem of granulomatous diseases are topics given comprehensive coverage. The recent rise in skin cancer incidents highlights the problem melanoma. In pathology, 25 per cent of malpractice cases involve misdiagnosis of melanoma. The issue for the pathologist is to distinguish between benign, premalignant, and malignant skin lesions so that the appropriate recommendation can be made about operating versus following the patient or declaring the lesion benign. Melanoma is so invasive and so malignant that it must be treated aggressively as early as possible, but this risks putting the patient through disfiguring surgery or a course of chemotherapy or irradiation for something that could turn out to be benign.