Melanocytic nevi and tumor progression: perspectives concerning histomorphology, melanoma risk and molecular genetics.

Atypical variants of melanocytic nevi such as congenital nevi, acral nevi and Spitz nevi may share many architectural and cytologic abnormalities in common with conventional dysplastic nevi. Although largely undetermined, the degree of melanoma risk (if any) associated with the atypical nevus in question may correlate with the grade of atypia in the particular nevus and a variety of other factors such as the number of nevi and skin phototype.