Malignant change in giant congenital nevocellular nevi: our experience

Summary We present our experience in the surgical management of giant congenital nevocellular nevi (GCNN's). From 1983 to 1992, 13 cases were treated of which 11 were children and 2 were adults. The size of the lesions ranged between 3 and 60% of the body surface. All these patients underwent excision and skin grafting. In 6 cases, skin expansion was used. The patients were seen subsequently every 6 months with a 12 months minimum follow-up. In 2 pediatric patients, malignant degeneration of the lesion occurred: in the first case, a highly invasive nodular melanoma, in the second case, a lesion corresponding to minimal deviation melanoma. Our personal experience has shifted our attitude to the treatment of GCNN to a more aggressive approach. Early and radical excision of all the lesion is currently our first priority; esthetic refinements by means of skin expansion or other techniques are now delayed to subsequent procedures.