BACKGROUND Melanin synthesis, the elective trait of melanocytes, is regulated by tyrosinase activity. In tyrosinase-positive amelanotic melanomas this rate limiting enzyme is inactive because of acidic endo-melanosomal pH. The E5 oncogene of the Human Papillomavirus Type 16 is a small transmembrane protein with a weak transforming activity and a role during the early steps of viral infections. ...

Introduction Cutaneous melanoma represents a very aggressive type of cancer that has one of the fastest growing incidences worldwide, with over 150000 new cases estimated in developing countries in 2010 (Jemal et al 2011). Although it represents only 10% of the total cutaneous malignant tumours, melanoma is responsible for over 90% of the deaths caused by these tumours (Jemal et al 2011). Amela...

Sir, Primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas are uncommon, aggressive tumours. Similar to other malignancies, nasal melanomas frequently metastasize to the lymph nodes, lungs, liver and bone. However, skin metastases are very rare (1). We report here a patient with amelanotic melanoma originating from the sinonasal mucosa who rapidly developed multiple skin metastases and the diagnosis was confirme...

Choroidal metastases from follicular thyroid carcinoma are uncommon and usually present as an amelanotic lesion against a background of known systemic disease. We present the case of a 56-year-old woman with a thyroid metastatic focus with unusual clinical presentation, systemic involvement, and early response to systemic treatment. A review of the literature accompanies this case presentation.

Spindle cell melanoma, which is a rare form of melanoma, is clinically and histopathologically difficult to diagnose from a variety of nonmelanocytic spindle cell tumors. We describe a 42-year-old Japanese woman with amelanotic melanoma that comprised spindle cells with positive c-kit and S100A6 staining. The use of c-kit and S100A6 might be useful for improving the diagnosis.

We present an unusual onset of cutaneous lichen planus (LP) in a middle-aged patient. The initial presentation as solitary, indolent pink lesion required further investigations to rule out malignancy, especially amelanotic melanoma. Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy findings were found to be helpful in our case in addressing the correct diagnosis.

We recently reported that disruption of tumor cell microfilaments or intermediate filaments resulted in an inhibition of the ability of tumor cells to induce the aggregation of homologous platelets in vitro (H. Chopra et al., Cancer Res., 48: 3787-3800, 1988). Previous investigators demonstrated that disruption of the tumor cell cytoskeleton decreases the ability of these cells to form lung col...

BACKGROUND Solitary pink lesions in differential diagnosis with hypopigmented/amelanotic melanoma present a diagnostic challenge in daily practice and are regularly referred for second expert opinion. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopically equivocal pink lesions. No studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of adding a sec...

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is an extremely rare disease with non-specific clinical presentations and radiological findings. We are presenting a case of 40 years old female admitted to the hospital complaining of dysphasia and weight loss. Esophagoscopy revealed an irregular fungating mass at the lower one third of the esophagus. The tumor was diagnosed provisionally as poorly d...

Amelonotic malignant melanoma; Sinonasal cavity; Nasal polyposis; Immunocytochemistry Abstract Malignant melanoma involving mucosal surface of the head and neck region is rare. Malignant melanoma involving the nasal cavity is even rarer and accounts for less than 1% of cases. Prognosis is generally poor with unpredictable outcome. Regional and distant metastasis is common at presentation. We pr...