Some authors do not consider lentigo maligna to be a melanoma.

Incidence of evolution to lentigo maligna melanoma is very low, about 2.2% to 5% in elderly patients.

An invasive tumor arising from a classical lentigo maligna.

Lentigo maligna is the non-invasive skin growth that some pathologists consider to be a melanoma-in-situ.

It is at this point that one can comfortable remove the entire lesion, and thus confirming the final diagnosis of lentigo maligna.

Is dependent on the thickness of the invasive component of the lentigo maligna.

A few pathologists do not consider lentigo maligna to be a melanoma at all, but a precursor to melanomas.

Lentigo maligna.

Thin seborrheic keratoses on facial skin can be very difficult to differentiate from lentigo maligna even with dermatoscopy.

Hutchinson's melanotic freckle (used to be considered a precancerous spot occurring in old age, now known as melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna type)

Some melanocytic nevi, and melanoma-in-situ (lentigo maligna) have resolved with an experimental treatment, imiquimod (Aldara) topical cream, an immune enhancing agent.

Lentigo maligna (also known as "Lentiginous melanoma on sun-damaged skin") is a melanoma in situ that consists of malignant cells but does not show invasive growth.

As the lentigo maligna is often very large, it often merges with, or encompasses other skin tumors - such as lentigines, melanocytic nevi, and seborrheic keratosis.

Once a lentigo maligna becomes a lentigo maligna melanoma, it is treated as if it were an invasive melanoma.

A second type, lentigo maligna, also remains close to the surface of the skin for a long while and usually appears as a flat or slightly elevated mottled tan, brown or dark brown discoloration.

The transition to true melanoma is marked by the appearance of a bumpy surface (itself a marker of vertical growth and invasion), at which point it is called lentigo maligna melanoma.

Nasal defects mostly result from excision of (malignant) skin tumours as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, keratoacanthoma, lentigo maligna, lymphoma, and sweat gland carcinoma.

Experienced Mohs surgeons have reported cure rates for melanoma-in-situ from 95% to 98% (depending on if it is small MIS, or lentigo maligna variant), much higher than previously reported by Dr. Mikhail of 77%.

However, for large lesions, such as suspected lentigo maligna, or for lesions in surgically difficult areas (face, toes, fingers, eyelids), a small punch biopsy in representative areas will give adequate information and will not disrupt the final staging or depth determination.