Aberrant Expression of Immunohistochemical Markers in Malignant Melanoma: A Review

Abstract

Immunohistochemical stains are increasingly used to aid in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma, especially when the differentiation of the tumor is unclear based on examination with hematoxylin and eosin. However, aberrant expression of non-melanocytic markers has been reported in melanomas, which can sometimes be further complicated by the loss of conventional melanocytic markers. This review aims to summarize available data regarding unusual staining patterns in primary and metastatic malignant melanoma. It also raises awareness of the potential pitfalls and highlights the importance of appropriate use and interpretation of broad immunohistochemical markers in the context of clinical and histopathologic findings to facilitate the diagnosis of atypical cases of malignant melanoma.

Keywords

• malignant melanoma
• immunohistochemistry
• aberrant expression
• melanocytic markers