Multiple Infundibulocystic Basal Cell Carcinomas: Case Report of Unique Unilateral Presentation

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma shows a wide spectrum of clinical and histologic appearances. A distinct tumor variant with follicular infundibulocystic differentiation is recognized, and there are only a few reports on its clinical presentation and management. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of multiple infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas with a unique unilateral presentation. METHODS: A clinical history was obtained. Photographs were taken, and punch biopsies were performed. RESULTS: An 83-year-old Caucasian female presented with multiple unilateral, asymptomatic, skin-colored, dome-shaped papules around the right mouth for 11 years without apparent change. Punch biopsies revealed findings typical of infundibulocystic basal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: A patient with clinically indolent multiple unilateral infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas is described. Given the location of these multiple lesions, standard treatment modalities for basal cell carcinomas would have significant cosmetic and functional implications. A management approach with clinical follow-up and surgical intervention only for changing lesions is discussed.     

Tumor Vascularity Is Not a Prognostic Factor for Malignant Melanoma of the Skin

Tumor vascularity has been proposed as a prognostic indicator for a number of solid tumors. Although a correlation between microvessel number and metastatic behavior has also been suggested for cutaneous melanoma, the small number of cases studied to date allows one to draw only preliminary conclusions. In this study, we have assessed tumor vascularity in cutaneous melanoma by comparing 60 cases of metastasizing and non-metastasizing tumors matched for tumor thickness, age, sex, and anatomic site. Ulex europaeus agglutinin I appeared to be the most suitable vascular marker for this study. Our results indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to tumor vascularity. Even after identifying 15 cases of thin (<1.0 mm thick) melanoma, there was no significant difference in the number of microvessels between metastasizing and non-metastasizing tumors. Comparison of patterns of vascular microarchitecture also failed to discriminate between the two groups. Thus, our results indicate that tumor vascularity may not be an independent prognostic factor for cutaneous melanoma.     

Genetic changes in neoplasms arising in congenital melanocytic nevi: differences between nodular proliferations and melanomas

Large congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are at an increased risk of developing melanoma. Several forms of secondary proliferations can arise in congenital nevi on rare occasions. Although some of these closely resemble melanoma both clinically and histologically, metastasis is rare. We used comparative genomic hybridization to analyze chromosomal aberrations in different types of proliferations arising in CMN and compared them to typical congenital nevi, clear-cut melanomas arising in congenital nevi, as well as primary cutaneous melanomas that were not associated with a CMN. Cases of CMN and CMN with secondary proliferations were assigned to six groups according to the predominant histological pattern: group I, bland congenital nevi (n = 6); group II, congenital nevi with foci of increased cellularity (n = 4); group III, CMN with a proliferation simulating superficial spreading melanoma in situ (n = 3); group IV, CMN with a proliferation simulating nodular melanoma (n = 9); group V, proliferating neurocristic hamartoma (n = 1); and group VI, melanoma arising in congenital nevus (n = 6). No aberrations were found in groups I to III, whereas seven of nine cases of group IV, and one of one case of group V, showed aberrations. In group IV six of seven cases with aberrations (86%) showed numerical aberrations of whole chromosomes exclusively. This pattern differed significantly from the findings in melanoma that arose within CMN (n = 6), group VI, or independent of CMN (n = 122) in which only 5% showed numerical changes only. The single case in group V showed aberrations similar to melanoma. The finding of frequent numerical chromosomal aberrations in atypical nodular proliferations arising in CMN identifies these as clonal neoplasms with a genomic instability consistent with a mitotic spindle checkpoint defect. This difference compared to the aberration pattern found in melanoma might explain their more benign clinical behavior and may be of diagnostic value in ambiguous cases.     

Melan-A, a new melanocytic differentiation marker

Melan-A/MART-1 is a recently identified new melanocytic differentiation marker, which is recognized as an antigen on melanoma cells by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. It is of interest for clinicians as potential immunotherapeutic target and it is relevant for pathologists as a novel diagnostic marker, since two antibodies (A103 and M2-7C10) have become available to study Melan-A/MART-1 expression on archival material. Both antibodies are useful in the differential diagnosis of melanocytic tumors, especially metastatic tumors, since they are more sensitive than HMB-45. Both antibodies are also of diagnostic value in the recognition of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (angiomyolipoma, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and clear cell tumor). Since A103 has the unique property of staining many steroid hormone producing cells, this antibody is also of value for the recognition of tumors derived from these cells, such as adrenocortical carcinomas. Both antibodies are likely to be included in the routine diagnostic armamentarium of many immunohistochemical laboratories in the near future.     

Lack of relevant information for tumor staging in pathology reports of primary cutaneous melanoma

For the T classification of primary cutaneous melanoma, the current American Joint Committee on Cancer staging (AJCC) system relies on tumor thickness and level of invasion. A new T classification has been proposed based on thickness and ulceration. The slides and reports of 135 departmental pathology consultations of patients referred to a major cancer center with a diagnosis of primary cutaneous invasive malignant melanoma were examined. Whether the outside pathology reports contained information on tumor thickness, level of invasion, and ulceration was recorded. Dermatopathologists had issued 76.3% of the reports and general surgical pathologists, 24.3%. Information provided was as follows: tumor thickness, 97.8%; Clark level, 71.9%; and presence or absence of ulceration, 28.1%. Of the 97 melanomas with no comment on ulceration, 17 were indeed ulcerated. Thus, the lack of a comment on ulceration cannot be equated with the absence of ulceration. The present study documents that many pathology reports on melanomas lack sufficient information for AJCC staging. Therefore, review of outside pathology material is necessary not only to confirm or revise the tumor diagnosis but also to provide clinicians with histologic parameters required for AJCC staging.