Appearance of melanocytic nevi on the backs of young Australian children: a 7-year longitudinal study

Abstract

To determine the rate of appearance of nevi in a cohort of children between ages 6 and 12 years. The number of nevi has been established as the strongest known risk factor for melanoma, but whether the rate at which nevi appear during childhood varies by age is not well understood. The study involved analysis of nevus development over time in a cohort of 640 Western Australian school children who formed the control group in the Kidskin intervention trial. Children were assessed at ages 6, 10 and 12 years, with nevi on the back counted from photographs. The changes in both number and density of nevi between ages 6 and 12 years were linear with respect to age. The number and density of nevi increased at a greater rate for boys compared with girls; for children with blue, hazel and green eyes compared with those with brown eyes; for blonde versus dark haired children and for children with heavy freckling compared with those with no freckles. In conclusion, further research is needed to determine whether the linear increase in nevi continues into adolescence. If so, it suggests that skin cancer prevention campaigns should target older children and adolescents as well as younger children. Longitudinal studies have important advantages over cross-sectional studies in the description of nevus development with age, and should be the preferred study design.

The study of nevi in children: Principles learned and implications for melanoma diagnosis

“…21–23 Insights gained by the study of nevi in childhood have implications for melanoma detection in adults and children. The Study of Nevi in Children (SONIC), a cohort in Framingham, Massachusetts 11–13,24–36 is a population-based study that documents the dermoscopic and clinical evolution of nevi in childhood and adolescence over time.…”

Clinical and Dermoscopic Stability and Volatility of Melanocytic Nevi in a Population-Based Cohort of Children in Framingham School System

“…Nevi are important risk markers of melanoma (Gandini et al, 2005). Longitudinal studies of nevi have shown that childhood and adolescence are dynamic periods for nevi appearance and evolution (English et al, 2006; Green et al, 1995; Luther et al, 1996; Siskind et al, 2002; Milne et al, 2008). More recently, our understanding of nevogenesis during childhood has been advanced with the use of dermoscopy, which allows a detailed classification of nevi based on global dermoscopic pattern (Hofmann-Wellenhof et al, 2001).…”

Nevos melanocíticos numa comunidade de origem predominantemente holandesa no Brasil (1999-2007)

“…The reason for this significant difference between the sexes is unknown; 26 however, various authors have published similar results. 2,4,9,17,27 There is no consensus with respect to the association between phenotypical characteristics, risk markers, particularly skin color, and the development of MN in children. [8][9][10][11][12] In the present study, children with phototype I skin were found to be 3.6 times more likely to develop MN (p=0.002; 95%CI: 1.55 -6.67) compared to those with phototype II or III.…”