Lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma in young adults

BACKGROUND. We observed two young women with skin types II to III according to Fitzpatrick's classification who developed pigmented macules in the face that were histologically diagnosed as lentigo maligna melanomas. OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to examine lentigo maligna melanoma in young adults. METHODS. According to private photographs of one of those patients a precursor lesion was clinically apparent as early as in her 26th year. Ten years later, the diagnosis of a lentigo maligna melanoma was made. The other patient was diagnosed with lentigo maligna at the age of 37. After excision, a relapse occurred in her 39th year. At this time histopathology revealed an early invasive lentigo maligna melanoma. RESULTS. These case reports demonstrate that the diagnosis of both lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma cannot be dismissed because of young age or well-tanning skin types. CONCLUSION. We conclude that owing to changes in social behavior and sporting activities with high short-term ultraviolet exposures, one must be aware of the possibility of an unusual early onset of lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma already in the third and fourth decade of life. Furthermore, our observations support the effectiveness of dermatoscopy in diagnosing ambiguous pigmented skin lesions in sun-exposed skin.