When Age and Morphology Mislead: Flat Vulvar Melanoma In Situ in a Young Woman

ABSTRACT Pigmented vulvar lesions are frequently encountered in clinical practice and are most often benign, particularly in young women presenting with flat lesions. In contrast, vulvar melanoma predominantly affects postmenopausal patients and is typically associated with raised or palpable morphology, features that usually prompt diagnostic investigation. We report the case of a 28‐year‐old woman presenting with an asymptomatic, flat pigmented lesion of the labia majora that appeared clinically low risk. Dermoscopic examination revealed asymmetric multicomponent pigmentation with blue–white veil and irregular dots and globules, supporting the decision to perform an excisional biopsy in the context of clinic–dermoscopic correlation. Histopathological findings confirmed melanoma in situ. This case illustrates a clinically important variation from the expected presentation of vulvar melanoma and highlights the potential risk of relying solely on reassuring demographic features. Careful clinical assessment and dermoscopic evaluation remain essential in the assessment of vulvar pigmented lesions, even in young patients with flat, apparently benign‐appearing lesions.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
JEADV Clinical Practice
Published
2026-10-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/jvc2.70359
Primary Topic
Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

When Age and Morphology Mislead: Flat Vulvar Melanoma In Situ in a Young Woman

Camila Scharf, Maria Maddalena Nicoletti, Giuseppe Argenziano, Gabriella Brancaccio et al.
JEADV Clinical Practice
Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
article

When Age and Morphology Mislead: Flat Vulvar Melanoma In Situ in a Young Woman

Camila Scharf, Maria Maddalena Nicoletti, Giuseppe Argenziano, Gabriella Brancaccio, R. Franco, V. Pellegrino
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pigmented vulvar lesions are frequently encountered in clinical practice and are most often benign, particularly in young women presenting with flat lesions. In contrast, vulvar melanoma predominantly affects postmenopausal patients and is typically associated with raised or palpable morphology, features that usually prompt diagnostic investigation. We report the case of a 28‐year‐old woman presenting with an asymptomatic, flat pigmented lesion of the labia majora that appeared clinically low risk. Dermoscopic examination revealed asymmetric multicomponent pigmentation with blue–white veil and irregular dots and globules, supporting the decision to perform an excisional biopsy in the context of clinic–dermoscopic correlation. Histopathological findings confirmed melanoma in situ. This case illustrates a clinically important variation from the expected presentation of vulvar melanoma and highlights the potential risk of relying solely on reassuring demographic features. Careful clinical assessment and dermoscopic evaluation remain essential in the assessment of vulvar pigmented lesions, even in young patients with flat, apparently benign‐appearing lesions.

JEADV Clinical Practice
University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (IT), Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (IT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

When Age and Morphology Mislead: Flat Vulvar Melanoma In Situ in a Young Woman — Camila Scharf, Maria Maddalena Nicoletti, et al. · JEADV Clinical Practice (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS