Prevalence of naevocytic naevi after chemotherapy for childhood cancer

Abstract

The frequency of naevocytic naevi (moles) in patients with childhood haematologic malignancies was studied. All patients had received multiple chemotherapy. The majority had also received cranial irradiation as part of their central nervous system leukaemia/lymphoma prophylaxis. Total body mole counts of the patients were compared with those of their healthy brothers and sisters. The median number of moles in the patient group was 20.0 (n = 79), in the healthy sibs 11.0 (n = 88). In two subgroups mole counts of male and female patients were compared with those of their closet brother or sister. There were 19 male and 19 female pairs for comparison. Median numbers of moles were significantly higher in both patient groups than in the controls (P less than 0.05). It is suggested that multiple chemotherapy (and/or cranial irradiation) may induce or activate naevocytic naevi. These findings may have important implications with regard to the aetiology of melanoma.

Eruptive nevi of the palms and soles

“…Internal malignancy with or without the administration of chemotherapy, is another setting in which eruptive nevi have been reported. [19][20][21][22][23] Arguably, immunosuppression may be the common denominator in these patient populations. Other case reports of eruptive nevi include associations with Addison's disease 24 and psoralen-UVA, 25 and in isolation without any apparent disease association.…”

Melanocytic naevi and melanoma in survivors of childhood cancer

“…Acral naevi (occurring on palms and soles), which are generally uncommon, were increased in both groups of oncology patients. In another study in The Netherlands (de Wit et al, 1990), the median number of naevi in subjects who had received chemotherapy for childhood cancer was found to be increased (P < 0.05), this time in comparison with siblings. A recent study in Glasgow showed that total body naevus counts were significantly increased in 22 children who were followed-up 3 years after starting maintenance chemotherapy for leukaemia (Baird et al, 1992), though comparison median naevus counts were only available according to decade of age for children assessed in a separate crosssectional study (MacKie et al, 1985).…”

“…We examined approximately 90% of patients who had ever received treatment for childhood cancer in Queensland over the last two decades and compared the occurrence of melanocytic naevi to that in controls of the While previous findings have been suggestive of a general association between chemotherapy and naevi, there is no firm evidence. Two case-control studies which found a positive association were based on relatively small numbers de Wit et al, 1990), while in a follow-up study which reported increased numbers of naevi in children 3 years after commencement of maintenance chemotherapy, there were potential problems with the comparison subjects who were ascertained some years earlier and whose naevi were counted using different criteria, in a cross-sectional study (Baird et al, 1992). Furthermore, all these studies de Wit et al, 1990;Baird et al, 1992) differed from the present study in that they were conducted in populations with low background levels of sun exposure.…”

“…Two case-control studies which found a positive association were based on relatively small numbers de Wit et al, 1990), while in a follow-up study which reported increased numbers of naevi in children 3 years after commencement of maintenance chemotherapy, there were potential problems with the comparison subjects who were ascertained some years earlier and whose naevi were counted using different criteria, in a cross-sectional study (Baird et al, 1992). Furthermore, all these studies de Wit et al, 1990;Baird et al, 1992) differed from the present study in that they were conducted in populations with low background levels of sun exposure. In Queensland children, a general association could indeed exist between chemotherapy and naevi, but it may be overshadowed by the effect of solar ultraviolet radiation.…”

Late Effects among Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Acute Leukemia in The Netherlands: A Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group Report

“…It has been shown that cytostatic treatment is associated with an increase in melanocytic nevi (moles), a strong risk factor for melanoma, in long term cancer survivors (32). However, thus far no increase in the incidence of melanoma in long term cancer survivors has been reported (33).…”