Mahtab Rahbar - Associated Professor, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
Ali Ghannadan - Associated Professor, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
Kambiz Kamyab - Associated Professor, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran

Background: Spitz Nevus is an infrequent acquired melanocytic nevus. There is still a challenge for dermatopathologists in distinguishingspitz nevus from malignant melanoma particularly in adults since there is no immunohistochemistry or molecularmarkers which differentiate Spitz Nevus from melanoma.Objectives: The aim of this study is to make clear what clinico-histopathological features of Spitz Nevus are in order to reducemalpractice due to misdiagnosis.Methods: In the present study, a series of twenty two patients have been reviewed who were diagnosed with Spitz Nevous basedon proved histopathology features between the years 2009 - 2013. The patients were evaluated for demographic parameters likeage, sex, clinical differential diagnosis, cutaneous location of tumor, tumor diameter, subtype, symmetry, maturation, upper cleftingof melanocytic nest, shoulder phenomena, epidermal hyperplasia, type, kamino body, mitotic rate , inflammatory infiltration,pagetoid spread and regression.Results: In our study, 45% of patients were younger than 10 years old. The average age of patients was 14 11.37. Male to female ratiowas 1.44. The commonest location was head and neck. Spitz nevus was the first clinical differential diagnosis in 20% of patients.The commonest variant type was conventional type and then polypoid and desmoplastic types. The mean size of nevi was 0.81 0.59 mm. About 59% of nevi shows epithelioid cytologic features. Other histologic parameters from the most to the least frequencywere symmetry (100%), maturation (100%), epidermal hyperplasia (77.3%), kamino body (68.2%), subtype (compound 68%), mitoticrate (63.6%), clefting (59%), inflammatory infiltration (54.5%), pagetoid spread (18.2%), shoulder (37.5%) and regression (9.1%).Conclusions: We tried to hifhlight some clinical and histopathological features which are distinguishing Spitz nevus from othermelanocytic nevi even malignant melanoma.

Spitz Nevus, Clinical Findings, Histopathologic Findings