Pigmented Bowen’s disease mimicking melanoma clinically and dermoscopically

Abstract

A variety of cutaneous lesions can mimic melanoma, such as melanocytic nevi, lentigines, seborrheic keratosis, blue nevi, pigmented basal cell carcinomas and dermatofibromas. This report describes a rare clinical case of a female patient who presented a lesion on the left thigh, which was clinically and dermoscopically compatible with melanoma. The patient underwent excision of the lesion, and histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of pigmented Bowen’s disease. The purpose of this report is to draw attention to the fact that pigmented Bowen’s disease, a rare form of squamous cell carcinoma in situ, should also be considered as a differential diagnosis of malignant melanoma.