PAPILLOMATOUS MELANOCYTIC NEVI - AN ESTROGEN RELATED PHENOMENON

A prospective two-month epidemiologic and histologic study of all mela nocytic nevi biopsied (n = 434) at the University of Okla homa Health Center was undertaken. Melanocytic nevi with papillomatous features (P AP) (n=50) were found to occur predominantly in females (females = 44, males = 6; p < 0.01 adjusted for sex distribution of all melanocytic nevi). Immunohistochemical analysis of melanocytic nevi revealed conco rdance between PAP and intracytoplasmic nevocellular staining for estr ogen-inducible pS2 protein. Melanocytic nevi without papillomatous fea tures failed to stain for pS2 protein. These results suggest a hormone responsiveness exclusive of patient sex which may influence the patho genesis of these distinctive melanocytic nevi.