Abstract
Clinical-pathologic-genetic studies were performed on 3 kindreds showing the familial atypical multiple mole-melanoma syndrome (FAMMM). Findings showed vertical transmission, including father-to-son, of cutaneous malignant melanoma and/or FAMMM moles with no sex predilection. A broad spectrum of clinical signs characterizing the phenotype ranged from an apparent lack of disease expression through minimal, moderate, and florid manifestations. An extreme example was a patient with 9 separate primary melanomas in 18 years. The FAMMM moles were histologically compound nevocellular nevi with varying degrees of dyslIasia of the melanocytes, an increased occurrence of fibroplasia, and chronic inflammation within the papillary dermis. Of further interest was marked variation in the degree of dysplasia in moles between and within families. These observations, when coupled with recent reports by others, are consistent with an autosomal dominant gene showing markedly variable expressivity. Management of these patients is difficult, as one cannot be certain which moles require biopsy and then, following histological study, which will require wider excision. Studies of the FAMMM syndrome should deal carefully with its natural history, including the patient's lifelong susceptibility to multiple malignant melanomas, and the possibility that cancer of other anatomic sites may be integral components of this hereditary cancer syndrome.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 58-70 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | British Journal of Cancer |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1980 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Cancer Research
- Oncology
Cite this
Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (Fammm) syndrome : Genetic heterogeneity and malignant melanoma. / Lynch, Henry T.; Fusaro, R. M.; Pester, J.; Lynch, J. F.
In: British Journal of Cancer, Vol. 42, No. 1, 1980, p. 58-70.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (Fammm) syndrome
T2 - Genetic heterogeneity and malignant melanoma
AU - Lynch, Henry T.
AU - Fusaro, R. M.
AU - Pester, J.
AU - Lynch, J. F.
PY - 1980
Y1 - 1980
N2 - Clinical-pathologic-genetic studies were performed on 3 kindreds showing the familial atypical multiple mole-melanoma syndrome (FAMMM). Findings showed vertical transmission, including father-to-son, of cutaneous malignant melanoma and/or FAMMM moles with no sex predilection. A broad spectrum of clinical signs characterizing the phenotype ranged from an apparent lack of disease expression through minimal, moderate, and florid manifestations. An extreme example was a patient with 9 separate primary melanomas in 18 years. The FAMMM moles were histologically compound nevocellular nevi with varying degrees of dyslIasia of the melanocytes, an increased occurrence of fibroplasia, and chronic inflammation within the papillary dermis. Of further interest was marked variation in the degree of dysplasia in moles between and within families. These observations, when coupled with recent reports by others, are consistent with an autosomal dominant gene showing markedly variable expressivity. Management of these patients is difficult, as one cannot be certain which moles require biopsy and then, following histological study, which will require wider excision. Studies of the FAMMM syndrome should deal carefully with its natural history, including the patient's lifelong susceptibility to multiple malignant melanomas, and the possibility that cancer of other anatomic sites may be integral components of this hereditary cancer syndrome.
AB - Clinical-pathologic-genetic studies were performed on 3 kindreds showing the familial atypical multiple mole-melanoma syndrome (FAMMM). Findings showed vertical transmission, including father-to-son, of cutaneous malignant melanoma and/or FAMMM moles with no sex predilection. A broad spectrum of clinical signs characterizing the phenotype ranged from an apparent lack of disease expression through minimal, moderate, and florid manifestations. An extreme example was a patient with 9 separate primary melanomas in 18 years. The FAMMM moles were histologically compound nevocellular nevi with varying degrees of dyslIasia of the melanocytes, an increased occurrence of fibroplasia, and chronic inflammation within the papillary dermis. Of further interest was marked variation in the degree of dysplasia in moles between and within families. These observations, when coupled with recent reports by others, are consistent with an autosomal dominant gene showing markedly variable expressivity. Management of these patients is difficult, as one cannot be certain which moles require biopsy and then, following histological study, which will require wider excision. Studies of the FAMMM syndrome should deal carefully with its natural history, including the patient's lifelong susceptibility to multiple malignant melanomas, and the possibility that cancer of other anatomic sites may be integral components of this hereditary cancer syndrome.
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U2 - 10.1038/bjc.1980.203
DO - 10.1038/bjc.1980.203
M3 - Article
VL - 42
SP - 58
EP - 70
JO - British Journal of Cancer
JF - British Journal of Cancer
SN - 0007-0920
IS - 1
ER -