PMID: 8959956Dec 1, 1996Paper

The starburst giant cell is useful for distinguishing lentigo maligna from photodamaged skin

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
L M Cohen

Abstract

Because lentigo maligna (LM) occurs in areas of the body that are subjected to long-term UV radiation (UVR), it may be difficult to distinguish atypical melanocytes in LM from the pleomorphic, atypical melanocytes in actinically damaged skin. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of multinucleated melanocytes would help to make this distinction. A total of 89 cases of LM were reviewed for the presence or absence of multinucleated melanocytes and, if present, the maximum number of nuclei was recorded. As controls, 107 elliptical excisions of basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were randomly selected. The tips of the ellipses were reviewed for the presence or absence of multinucleated melanocytes. Multinucleated melanocytes with a "starburst" appearance, because of their prominent dendritic processes, were present in 85% of LM cases but in only 21% of sun-damaged control specimens (p < 0.00001; odds ratio [OR] = 22.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 10.6-47.9). The sensitivity and specificity of starburst giant cells (SGCs) in the diagnosis of LM was 85% and 78%, respectively. The maximum number of nuclei per SGC ranged from 2 to 30 in the LM cases (mean, 6.8 +/- 6.1) and from 2 to 6 in the co...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 19, 2005·The American Journal of Dermatopathology·Alan S BoydYu Shyr
May 24, 2012·The American Journal of Dermatopathology·Willmar D PatinoGeoffrey J Gottlieb
Mar 27, 2009·Annals of Surgical Oncology·Jonathan R Stretch, Richard A Scolyer
Oct 7, 2014·Indian Journal of Dermatology·Gaurang GuptaKikkeri N Naveen
Jul 2, 1998·Dermatologic Surgery : Official Publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et Al.]·L M CohenR H Zax
May 10, 2011·Clinics in Laboratory Medicine·Martin J Trotter
Sep 1, 2009·Surgical Pathology Clinics·Martin J Trotter
Jun 15, 2005·Journal of Cutaneous Pathology·Farinaz FarrahiSusan M Swetter
May 26, 2016·Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology·Mark R Wick
Apr 4, 2015·Annals of Dermatology·Heung Yeol KimKwang Joong Kim
Aug 19, 2006·Journal of Surgical Oncology·Claire L F Temple, John P Arlette
Jul 22, 2019·Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·C Navarrete-DechentK S Nehal
Aug 9, 2018·Development, Growth & Differentiation·Yuu UsuiMasakatsu Watanabe
May 31, 2019·Journal of Cutaneous Pathology·Tyler Enos, Travis Vandergriff
Nov 24, 2020·Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology·Helena IznardoOriol Yélamos
Feb 22, 2021·Seminars in Cancer Biology·Svenja Meierjohann
Sep 17, 2021·The Australasian Journal of Dermatology·Pascale GuiteraGiovanni Pellacani

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