title: Malignant melanoma showing smooth muscle differentiation.
abstract: A unique case of a metastatic non-desmoplastic sarcomatoid malignant melanoma in an axillary lymph node showing smooth muscle differentiation in a 54 year old woman is described. The tumour cells exhibited alpha-smooth muscle actin, HHF-35 and desmin positivity but were negative for S100 protein and HMB-45. Ultrastructural examination revealed smooth muscle phenotype and there was no evidence of myofibroblastic differentiation, a feature described previously in desmoplastic melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Christie Hospital, Manchester.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Eyden
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D003893:Desmin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003893:Desmin