Lentigo maligna (LM) may be defined as malignant melanoma in situ arising in sun-damaged skin.<sup>27 Stonecipher MR, Leshin B, Patrick J, et al: The management of lentigo and lentigo maligna melanoma with paraffin embedded tangential sections. J Am Acad Dermatol 29:589–594

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup> Most lesions occur on the faces of older persons who have sun-damaged skin. LM was first described by Hutchinson in 1890 and hence the name Hutchinson's melanocytic freckle.<sup>12 Hutchinson J. Lentigo-melanosis: A further report Arch Surg 1894 ;  5 : 253-256

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup> He considered these lesions infective in nature because of their slow growth and termed them “infective senile freckles”. In 1894, Dubreulih<sup>9 Dudreulih M.W. Lentigo malin des veiillards Ann Dermatol Syphilis 1984 ;  5 : 1092-1099

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup> reported four cases of “malignant lentigo of the elderly.” In 1912, he further characterized this lesion as “circumscribed precancerous melanosis.” Currently, these lesions generally are referred to as LM when confined to the epidermis and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) when invasive.<sup>4 Becker S.W. Critical evaluation of the so-called “junctional naevus.” J Invest Dermatol 1954 ;  22 : 217-223  [cross-ref]

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias, 21 Sach W., MacKee G.M. , y al. Junction naevus: Nevocarcinoma JAMA 1947 ;  135 : 216-218

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup>

Clinically, LM lesions are flat, pigmented skin lesions usually found in older persons who have a history of actinic damage. LM lesions are commonly located on the head and neck region and most frequently on the cheek.<sup>19 Newell G.R., Sider J.G., Bergfelt L. , y al. Incidence of cutaneous melanoma in the United States by histology with special reference to the face Cancer Res 1988 ;  48 : 5036-5041

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias, 28 Pitman G.H., Kopf A.W., Bart R.S. , y al. Treatment of lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma Journal of Dermatology and Surgical Oncology 1979 ;  5 : 727-737

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup> Generally, LM lesions grow slowly in a horizontal direction and, if left untreated, may progress to LMM with a propensity to metastasize.

The histologic diagnosis of LM is established by the presence of atypical melanocytes partially replacing the basal layer of the epidermis, with no evidence of dermal invasion. The use of star-burst giant cells as well as a biopsy of the contralateral skin for comparison of baseline melanocyte and morphology has been described by Cohen et al<sup>7 Cohen Lentigo maligna, lentigo maligna melanomas J Am Acad Dermatol 1996 ;  35 : 962-1008  [cross-ref]

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias</sup> and represents the preinvasive form of malignant melanoma.