National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Becker nevus syndrome

Becker nevus syndrome is characterized by the presence of a Becker nevus in association with underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of the breast or other skin-related, muscular, or skeletal defects, all of which usually involve the same side of the body as the nevus (ipsilateral).[1] Specific signs and symptoms in addition to the nevus may include ipsilateral breast hypoplasia; skeletal abnormalities such as hypoplasia of the shoulder girdle, scoliosis, fused ribs, and ipsilateral shortness of the arm; and several other features.[2][1] The condition is thought to be sporadic (occurring in individuals with no history of the condition in the family).[1] Treatment varies depending upon the specific symptoms present and the extent of the condition in the affected individual.[2]
Last updated: 1/28/2016
Becker nevus syndrome is characterized by the presence of a Becker nevus in association with underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of the breast and/or other skin-related (cutaneous), muscular, or skeletal defects, all of which usually involve the same side of the body as the nevus (ipsilateral).[1] Breast hypoplasia affects both males and females, but is more noticeable in females.[2]

Other muscular and skeletal abnormalities may include:[2][1]
  • Absence of the pectoralis major muscle (pectoral)
  • Underdevelopment of the muscles of the shoulder girdle
  • Abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis)
  • Vertebral defects
  • Fused ribs
  • Ipsilateral shortness of a limb
  • Underdevelopment of the teeth and jaws
  • A "sunken chest" (pectus excavatum) or abnormally prominent chest (pectus carinatum)
  • Extra (supernumerary) nipples
  • Abnormally sparse hair under the armpit.
Last updated: 1/28/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Hamartoma 0010566
Hypermelanotic macule
Hyperpigmented spots
0001034
Lipoatrophy
Loss of fat tissue in localized area
0100578
Micromelia
Smaller or shorter than typical limbs
0002983
Shoulder girdle muscle atrophy
Shoulder girdle muscle wasting
Shoulder-girdle muscle atrophy
[ more ] 		0003724
Supernumerary nipple
Accessory nipple
0002558
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Aplasia/Hypoplasia of the breasts
Absent/small breasts
Absent/underdeveloped breasts
[ more ] 		0010311
Pectus carinatum
Pigeon chest
0000768
Pectus excavatum
Funnel chest
0000767
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of the scrotum 0000045
Abnormality of tibia morphology
Abnormality of the shankbone
Abnormality of the shinbone
[ more ] 		0002992
Hypoplastic labia minora
Underdeveloped inner lips
0000064
Kyphosis
Hunched back
Round back
[ more ] 		0002808
Lower limb asymmetry
Left and right leg differ in length or width
0100559
Rib fusion
Fused ribs
0000902
Scoliosis 0002650
Spina bifida occulta 0003298
Supernumerary ribs
Extra ribs
0005815
Upper limb asymmetry
Unequal size of arms
0100560
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Cervical ribs 0000891
Hemivertebrae
Missing part of vertebrae
0002937
Nevus
Mole
0003764
Unilateral breast hypoplasia
One underdeveloped breast
0012813
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Patient Registry

  • A registry supports research by collecting of information about patients that share something in common, such as being diagnosed with Becker nevus syndrome. The type of data collected can vary from registry to registry and is based on the goals and purpose of that registry. Some registries collect contact information while others collect more detailed medical information. Learn more about registries.

    Registries for Becker nevus syndrome:
    The National Registry for Ichthyosis & Related Skin Disorders
     

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Becker nevus syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Wilson H. Y. Lo. Becker Nevus Syndrome. OMIM. May 4, 2000; http://omim.org/entry/604919.
  2. Epidermal Nevus Syndromes. NORD. June 20, 2011; http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/862/viewAbstract.