COMMON PIGMENTED SKIN LESIONS

PATTERN AND DISTRIBUTION

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 6th and 7th decades of life; whereas,
dermatofibroma and post-inflammatory pigmentation were more common in females in the 4th
and 5th decades of life. Overall, the pigmented skin lesions were more common in the 3rd, 4th, and
5th decades of life with peak in the 4th 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 4th 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.