What to Look Out for in a Newborn with Multiple Papulonodular Skin Lesions at Birth

Abstract

Multiple papulonodular skin lesions at birth can indicate the presence of various benign and malignant disorders. Although the lesions’ clinical aspect (color and consistency, in particular) may steer the clinician towards one disorder or another (infantile myofibromatosis, xanthogranuloma, or metastatic neuroblastoma), the diagnosis can only be confirmed by the histopathologic assessment of a biopsy. In neonates, a rapid but accurate diagnosis is critical because skin lesions may be the first manifestation of a malignant disorder like leukemia cutis or metastatic neuroblastoma. Here, we review the various disorders that may manifest themselves as multiple skin lesions at birth.