Acral lentiginous melanoma

Overview
Acral lentiginous melanoma is a kind of skin melanoma. It is also known as subungual melanoma. It is seen on the palms, soles and under the nails. This is the most common form of melanoma in Asians and Blacks. The average age at diagnosis is between sixty and seventy years. It also occurs in Caucasians and in young people. This type of melanoma occurs on non hair baring surfaces of the body which may or may not be exposed to sunlight.

Typical symptoms include:
 * longitudinal tan, black, or brown streak on a finger or toe nail (melanonychia striata)
 * pigmentation of proximal nail fold
 * areas of dark pigmentation on palms of hands or soles of feet

Any new area of pigmentation or an existing one that shows change should be checked by a dermatologist. If caught early this type of melanoma has a similar cure rate as the other types of superficial spreading melanoma.

The microscopic hallmarks are:
 * atypical melanocytes in junctional nests
 * dermal invasion
 * desmoplasia
 * hyperplastic epidermis