Desmoplastic Melanoma

Conley et al., in 1971, described a special type of melanoma characterized by a superficial melanic lesion at the onset; repeated local relapses as subcutaneous tumorations with an histological picture closely resembling an atypical fibroxantoma or fibrosarcoma. After a review of all the published material the autors presents a personal case with the clinical, histological and evolutive characteristics of this disease. The most interesting findings of the published case are the following: The special stains for the melanocytes (silver stain, Dopa, tyrosinase and cholinesterase) were all negative. There was an intense positivity for the lisosomal enzymes (non specific sterases, and acid phosphatases). The ultrastructural study of the tumoral tissues as well as the cells of cultures showed abundant cells with tumoral aspects, with prominent nucleoli somewhat dilated granular endoplasmic reticulum, myelin-like figures, lipidic vacuoles and abundant lisosomes. No melanosomes or premelanosomes were observed. Beside these tumoral cells abundant typical fibroblastic elements were found. There was a great amount of collagen fibers with periodicity superior to the normal. The conclusion is that the desmoplastic melanoma must be considered as a tumor of mesenchimatous origin intervening in its development multiple local and general factors.