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Skin-Melanocytic Tumors
Becker’s nevus
Last major update: November 2008 - next update November 2009
Revised: 27 June 2009
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D., PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2002-2009, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
Terminology
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● Also called pigmented hairy epidermal nevus, Becker’s melanosis
Epidemiology
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● Present in 0.5% of young men (Ann Dermatol Venereol 1981;108:41)
● First described by Becker in 1948 (Arch Dermatol 1948;60:155)
● Associated with high androgen receptors (J Am Acad Dermatol 1984;10:235, J Am Acad Dermatol 2008;59:834)
● May be associated with hypoplasia of ipsilateral breast (Arch Iran Med 2006;9:68), aplasia of ipsilateral pectoralis major muscle, limp shortening, lipoatrophy (Clin Exp Dermatol 2002;27:27), spina bifida, scoliosis
● May occur with melanoma, although no known increased risk (Dermatologica 1991;182:77)
Case reports
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● Bilateral nevus in 18 year old man (Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2008;74:73)
● With segmental naevus depigmentosus (Australas J Dermatol 2007;48:224)
● Hypopigmented pityriasis versicolor developing on pre-existing Becker's naevus (Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2002;68:43)
Treatment and prognosis
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● None, laser (Br J Dermatol 2005;152:308)
Clinical description
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● Sharply demarcated, unilateral, hyperpigmented tan macule in teenage boy on back, shoulder or chest
● Hypertrichosis in 50%
Clinical images
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Various images
Bilateral Becker’s nevus
Micro description
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● Increased epidermal pigmentation, mild acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, regular elongation of rete ridges
● Variable hypertrichosis
● Areas associated with smooth muscle hamartoma have more pronounced smooth muscle bundles irregularly dispersed within the dermis and unrelated to either hair follicles or vascular channels
● Does not actually contain nevus cells
Video
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Additional references
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End of Skin-Melanocytic Tumors > Becker’s nevus
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