Role of immunohistochemistry in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous proliferative lesions of melanocytic origin

Salamova I.V., Moscaleva O.L., Flaks G.A., Mordovtseva V.V.

1 President’s Office Polyclinic №3, Moscow
2 Medical Institute of Postgradual Training, MGUPP, Moscow

Histological diagnosis of proliferative melanocytic lesions of the skin may present considerable difficulties, especially in case of borderline or atypical tumors. Immunohistochemical studies are often used to distinguish between benign and malignant melanocytic lesions. The use of multiple markers (melanocytic differentiation markers, cell proliferation markers etc.) in difficult cases is a preferred strategy. Most widely used immunohistochemical markers and their role in melanoma differential diagnosis are reviewed in the article