Melanocytic Lesions: Nevi and Dysplastic Nevi

This topic covers benign melanocytic proliferations, focusing on common acquired nevocellular nevi (moles) and their clinically significant variant, dysplastic nevi. Zambian tertiary students in dermatology and pathology will learn that common moles are uniform, small (<6mm), pigmented macules or papules with regular borders. Dysplastic nevi are larger, often irregular in border and color (variegated), and can occur in large numbers. They are important as phenotypic markers of increased melanoma risk and as potential direct precursors. Understanding the clinical features that distinguish a benign mole from a dysplastic one is a critical skill in cancer prevention. This knowledge is essential for skin cancer screening, a growing part of preventive medicine, and is important for dermatology and oncology examinations in Zambian tertiary education.