Leukoderma acquisitum centrifugum. An unusual case.

A case is presented of a 9-year-old girl who developed a depigmented halo around a pigmented tumor of the skin on her shoulder. She also developed widespread metastases in the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes, lungs, and, presumably, liver, and subsequently died of her disease. Histologic interpretations of the nature of the cutaneous tumor and axillary metastases are given and the suggestion made that the skin lesion was a malignant melanoma.

Broad spectrum of leukoderma acquisitum centrifugum.

A series of diverse neuroectodermally derived tumors associated with halos of leukoderma is presented. Clinically these lesions have in common a centrally placed, usually pigmented tumor encircled by a zone of hypopigmentation. The histological findings include (1) reduction or absence of epidermal melanin, but persistence of amelanotic melanocytes in the leukodermic halo; (2) a variety of tumors including nevus-cell nevus, neuroid nevus, blue nevus, neurofibroma, and malignant melanoma; (3) variable numbers of "small dark cells" whose nature is unclear, and which probably represent in part small nevus cells and in part lymphoid cells; and (4) damage to some tumor cells which presumably could be the cause of their destruction.