Melanoma Arising on a Nevus After Tattooing

Abstract

The pathogenetic relationship between tattooing and the development of malignant melanoma has not been demonstrated yet, but there are numerous instances documented in the literature where both benign and malignant lesions have developed on tattoos. We report the case of a 39-year-old man with a melanoma that arose on a nevus on the back after tattooing. Since the identification of melanocytes lesions can be heavily hindered by large tattoos, implementing a dedicated screening process with regular monitoring of the tattooed region could be necessary to prevent potential diagnostic delays.

Keywords: malignant transformation; melanoma; nevus; tattoo; tattooing.