Estrogen and progesterone receptors in melanocytic lesions. Occurrence in patients with dysplastic nevus syndrome.

Estrogen and progesterone binding studies in a series of 22 melanocytic lesions from 14 patients with the dysplastic nevus syndrome were done using a fluorescent estrogen and progesterone binding technique. Melanocytic lesions from these patients, including primary cutaneous melanomas, dysplastic nevi, and benign nevi, contained large numbers of estrogen and progesterone binding cells. Comparison is made to a series of control intradermal nevi that had little or no detectable estrogen or progesterone binding. Increased hormonal binding, and possibly responsiveness, is seen in melanomas, melanoma precursor lesions such as dysplastic nevi and congenital nevi, as well as benign nevi from patients with the dysplastic nevus syndrome.