A 50-year-old lady visits the office to have a mole on her back evaluated. The mole has been there for some years, but her daughter is concerned that it has recently expanded in size. The patient has no significant medical issues, however he was sunburned frequently as a youngster. The picture below depicts a dermoscopic inspection of the lesion. The lesion has multiple color variations, including dark brown, pink, red, and whitish areas. Excisional biopsy of the lesion is performed. The whitish areas (arrows) seen on histologic examination most likely represent which of the following underlying processes?

Question

A 50-year-old lady visits the office to have a mole on her back evaluated. The mole has been there for some years, but her daughter is concerned that it has recently expanded in size. The patient has no significant medical issues, however he was sunburned frequently as a youngster. The picture below depicts a dermoscopic inspection of the lesion.  The lesion has multiple color variations, including dark brown, pink, red, and whitish areas.  Excisional biopsy of the lesion is performed.  The whitish areas (arrows) seen on histologic examination most likely represent which of the following underlying processes?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Melanoma lesions are frequently multicolored. The various hues signify various activity within the tumor. When cytotoxic T cells detect tumor antigens and kill malignant cells, whitish/gray patches form, resulting in melanocyte regression. Red regions form as a result of vascular ectasia and local inflammation, whereas brown or black spots form as a result of progressing malignant melanocytes.

A 50-Year-Old Lady Visits the Office to Have a Mole