Clinical Application of the Unifying Concept of Cutaneous Melanoma

https://doi.org/10.4068/cmj.2017.53.1.78 C Chonnam Medical Journal, 2017 Chonnam Med J 2017;53:78-80 Corresponding Author: Luca Roncati Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and of Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico Hospital, I-41124 Modena (MO), Italy Tel: +390594224812, Fax: +390594224998, E-mail: [email protected] Article History: Received October 24, 2016 Revised November 20, 2016 Accepted November 24, 2016 FIG. 1. Schematic representation of the progression from normal skin to invasive malignant melanoma. (A) Normal skin with melanocytes (smaller grey bullets) regularly distributed at the basis of the epidermis (black line). (B) Epidermis with basal hyperplastic melanocytes. (C) Epidermis with basal atypical melanocytes (larger grey bullets). (D) Intra-epidermal radial growth phase of primary malignant melanoma with lentiginous pattern. (E) Intra-epidermal radial growth phase of primary malignant melanoma with pagetoid pattern. (F) Micro-invasive radial growth phase of primary malignant melanoma with lentiginous pattern (single melanoma cells are present in the papillary dermis). (G) Micro-invasive radial growth phase of primary malignant melanoma with pagetoid pattern (small clusters of melanoma cells are present in the papillary dermis). (H) Invasive (early if ≤1 mm in thick) vertical growth phase of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma (large clusters of melanoma cells are present in the papillary dermis and beyond). Clinical Application of the Unifying Concept of Cutaneous Melanoma Luca Roncati*, Francesco Piscioli, and Teresa Pusiol Provincial Health Care Services, Institute of Pathology, Santa Maria del Carmine Hospital, Rovereto (TN), Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and of Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena (MO), Italy