title: Desmoplastic melanoma (or is it merely cicatrix?) arising at the site of biopsy within a conventional melanoma: pitfalls in the diagnosis desmoplastic melanoma.
abstract: We describe a case in which a "punch biopsy" specimen of a conventional melanoma on the cheek of a 25-year-old man led to a problem in differentiating a desmoplastic malignant melanoma from cicatrix. The circumstances of this case raise the issue of whether desmoplastic melanoma can arise at the site of trauma within a pre-existing melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Spitz
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Silvers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002610:Cheek / Q000473:pathology; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery