What is Acral lentiginous melanoma

Acral lentiginous melanoma

Prevalence: accounts for 7% of all melanomas.

Anatomic sites: occurs primarily on the hands and feet, including about the nails, also occur on the modified skin around the mouth, anus and genitalia.

Course: develops and evolves over years.

Gender: more common in males than females.

Age incidence: usually in older people.

Ethnic groups: the most common form of melanoma in the skin of Asian and Black people, accounting for more than half of melanomas in these groups. It is the least common form of melanoma in Caucasian people.

Appearance: flat slowly expanding pigmented macule with a fairly uniform, mottled color.

What is Hutchinson's sign? sudden appearance of a pigmented band originating at the proximal nail fold or pigmentation in the proximal or distal nail fold.

Significance of Hutchinson's sign: suggestive of acral-lentiginous melanoma.