The 'Dysplastic Nevus' Conundrum: A Look Back, a Peek Forward

The term dysplastic nevus derives from Greek (dys = abnormal) and (plasis = growth) and was coined to describe a distinct entity harbouring, in its name, a potential harm to the host [1]. In 1992, the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference proposed to replace the term with “nevus with architectural disorder with and without cytologic atypia” [2]. However, the old terminology continues to be widely used. By inserting dysplastic nevus as an intermediate melanocytic lesion within the histologic morphobiologic spectrum of benign versus malignant lesions, it was felt that a diagnostic “comfort zone” was provided where diagnostic uncertainty on behalf of the pathologist may, in turn, guarantee re-excision of the lesion by the clinician [3, 4].