Abstract Background In cutaneous melanomas in general, tumor inflammatory infiltrate (TII) can protect against distant metastases, but there is no consensus when only thin primary cutaneous melanomas (TPCM) are considered. Objective To investigate the presence of TII in TPCM and the relationship between TII and the occurrence of metastases. Methods Case-control study including 50 patients with TPCM, 22 metastatic (MC group) and 28 non-metastatic (NMC group). The presence of TII was evaluated and, if present, qualified as mild, moderate or marked. Results The mean age was 50.7 years in the MC and 56.2 years in the NMC group (p = 0.234), and the male sex predominated in the MC group (63.6%). The average Breslow thickness was higher in the MC when compared to that observed in the NMC (respectively 0.8 vs. 0.6 mm, p = 0.012). The presence of ulceration occurred in 22.7% of the MC and 17.9% of the NMC (p = 0.732). TII was present in all 50 TPCM, being marked or moderate in 67.9% of the NMC and 54.5% in the MC group (p = 0.503). In the multivariate analysis, the presence of moderate and marked TII had an Odds Ratio (OR) of 0.57 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.18‒1.8) and adjusted OR of 0.68 (95% CI 0.13‒3.99). Study limitations Small sample size. Conclusions TII was present in all TPCM (with and without metastases), and it was not possible to demonstrate a protective effect of TII against the appearance of metastases.

Nevo agminado é um conjunto de lesões melanocíticas confinadas a uma área do corpo. Existem muitas lesões descritas na literatura como agminada s, como nevos azuis, lentigos múltiplos, nevo de Spitz, mas existem poucos casos de nevos melanocíticos agminados congênitos descritos. Relatamos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino que se apresentou com um nevo agminado congênito, enfatizando a importância do exame físico, dermatoscopia, avaliação histológica, diagnóstico diferencial e seguimento para descartar a possibilidade de alterações displásicas ou malignas.

Agminated nevus is a cluster group of melanocytic nevi confined to a localized area of the body. There are many pigmented lesions described in the literature as agminated, such as blue nevi, multiple lentigines and Spitz nevi, but only a few cases of congenital agminated melanocytic nevi have been described. We report a case of a male child who presented with congenital agminated nevi, emphasizing the importance of physical examination, dermoscopy, histopathological evaluation, differential diagnosis and follow up to rule out the possibility of dysplastic or malignant changes.

FUNDAMENTOS: A regra do ABCD é utilizada para orientar médicos, profissionais da saúde e pacientes quanto ao reconhecimento das principais características de lesões cutâneas suspeitas de melanoma. Não há, no Brasil,estudos que validem a utilização da regra do ABCD pelos pacientes após orientações realizadas por dermatologistas. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o aprendizado da regra do ABCD por pacientes atendidos em centro dermatológico de referência no sul do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo randomizado com 80 pacientes ambulatoriais de ambos os sexos, com 12 anos ou mais. Foram avaliados: grau de escolaridade, renda mensal e acesso aos meios de comunicação. O grupo de intervenção recebeu orientações sobre o emprego da regra do ABCD, ao passo que o grupo-controle não recebeu. Ambos os grupos foram avaliados quanto às suas respostas em três momentos (basal, fora do consultório e no consultório, 15 dias após) em painel de fotografias. O nível de significância utilizado foi o p < 0,05 e o poder de 0,80. RESULTADOS: O grupo que recebeu as informações respondeu de forma correta, com mais frequência, quanto ao diagnóstico dos melanomas, quando comparado ao grupo-controle (p < 0,01). Excetuando-se o acesso ao rádio, que influenciou positivamente os resultados (p < 0,05), as outras variáveis avaliadas não os afetaram. CONCLUSÕES: A regra do ABCD pode ser usada para capacitar pacientes acima de 17 anos a identificar alterações sugestivas de melanoma. Esse aprendizado independe de sexo, nível de escolaridade, renda mensal e acesso aos meios de comunicação, exceto rádio.

Background: the ABCD rule is used to guide physicians, health care professionals and patients to recognize the main characteristics of suspicious skin lesions for melanoma. In Brazil there are no studies to validate the use of the ABCD rule by patients after instructions given by dermatologists. Objectives: to evaluate the learning of the ABCD rule by patients at a dermatology center of reference in the Southern region of Brazil. Methods: a randomized study, with 80 outpatients. The following were evaluated: sex, age, level of schooling, monthly income and access to means of communication. The intervention group received instructions regarding the use of the ABCD rule and the control group did not. Both groups were evaluated at three points in time (baseline; outside the office; and in the doctor's office, 15 days later) regarding their answers about a panel of photographs. The level of significance used was p < 0.05 and a power of 0.80. Results: the group that received information answered correctly regarding the diagnosis of melanomas more often compared to the control group (p < 0.01).Except access to radio broadcasting, which had a positive influence of the results (p < 0.05), the other variables evaluated did not influence the results. Conclusions: the ABCD rule can be used to train patients, above the age of 17 years, to identify changes that suggest melanoma. This learning is independent of sex, level of schooling, monthly income and access to means of communication, except the radio.