Balloon cell melanoma of the skin. part I: Histology, immunohistology and histochemistry.
Balloon cell melanoma of the skin was found in the left axillary region of a 60-year-old man. The tumour was very large, grew local, not forming metastases. The histological picture corresponded to a solid alveolar pattern, in some places with pseudoglandular structures. The cytoplasm of the balloon cells proved to contain lipid vacuoles and glycogen. The Masson-Fontana reaction was negative: the Warthin-Starry method gave positive results in sporadic tumour cells. The DOPA oxidase reaction was negative. Histochemistry demonstrated remarkable presence of histiocytic elements among the neoplastic cells. Reaction for the proof of alpha mannosidase was positive both in the tumour cells and in the histiocytic elements. Reaction with the NKI-C3 antibody was found to be positive in many tumour cells, the anti S-100 protein antibody less positive. Most of the cells reacted strongly positively with anticytokeratin antibody CAM 5.2. Findings of anticytokeratin antibody positive melanomas have not been published yet. Electron microscopy showed rare melanosomes in some of the neoplastic cells, making it possible to include the tumour in melanomas.
Macák
J
J
Department of Pathology, Faculty hospital and policlinic Olomouc, Czechoslovakia.
Krc
I
I
Elleder
M
M
Lukás
Z
Z
Nádasdy
T
T
Güttnerová
J
J
D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*