Common Pigmented Skin Lesions

Abstract

ABSTRACT… Objectives: The purpose of this study is; firstly, to study the histopathological spectrum of the pigmented skin lesions in the community, to signify that not all pigmented skin lesions are malignant melanomas; secondly, to assess the age-wise distribution of the common pigmented skin lesions; and thirdly, to determine the commonly affected body sites by these pigmented skin lesions. Study Design: Retrospective/Observational study. Setting: Charsada Teaching Hospital affiliated with Jinnah Medical College Peshawar. Period: 100 consecutive cases with clinical diagnosis of pigmented skin lesion, starting in the year 2013. Methods: In this study, 100 consecutive surgical pathology cases with clinical diagnosis of pigmented skin lesion were retrieved from the archives of Charsada Teaching Hospital affiliated with Jinnah Medical College Peshawar. All the specimens were incisional biopsies of skin, fixed in 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin, and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin stains. Results: On analyzing 100 consecutive pigmented skin lesions (n=100) starting from the year 2013, it was found thatthe large majority of these lesions were benign. The most common pigmented skin lesion was melanocytic nevus. Moreover, majority of pigmented skin lesions were seen in females. Seborrheic keratosis and malignant tumors, like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinomas, were more commonly seen in males in the 6 th and 7 th decades of life; whereas, dermatofibroma and post-inflammatory pigmentation were more common in females in the 4 th and 5 th decades of life. Overall, the pigmented skin lesions were more common in the 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th decades of life with peak in the 4 th decade. Skin of face was the most common site affected by melanocytic nevi and malignant epidermal skin tumors. Conclusions: In conclusion, most of the pigmented skin lesions are benign, encountered in the 4 th decade of life, and commonly affect the skin of face. Also, most of the melanocytic nevi are encountered in females, while most of the malignant epidermal neoplasms are encountered in males affecting the skin of face.