Halo Nevi – A Decade of Surgical Experience in Southern Israel

Abstract

Background: Halo nevi are defined as benign melanocytic nevi that are surrounded by a rim of depigmentation, resembling a halo. This phenomenon often indicates the beginning of involution and subsequent regression of the melanocytic nevus, a process that extends over a period of several months. The consensus is that the central lesion should be evaluated and biopsied if there is clinical suspicion of dysplasia or malignancy.Objectives: To determine the characteristics of halo nevi excised in southern Israel during a decade.Methods: The Soroka University Medical Center is the regional hospital of southern Israel with its pathology institute evaluating all of the cutaneous lesions excised in the Soroka University Medical Center and most of the outpatient clinics in the region. We conducted a retrospective study compiling demographic and histopathological data from the institute's computerized system on all patients that underwent an excision of a cutaneous lesion that later was diagnosed histopatholgically as a halo nevus between the years 1996 and 2005. Results: Thirty six lesions were diagnosed as halo nevi, with characteristics similar to previous publications. Two of the 36 lesions were not clinically suspicious for dysplasia but were histologically diagnosed as dysplastic nevi. Conclusions: The clinician should evaluate the central lesion as suggested in previous publications, albeit with a higher level of suspicion for dysplasia, since the halo phenomenon and the regression of the pigmented nevus may interfere with accurate clinical diagnosis.