Discrimination between benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions by multivariate analysis, quantitative S-100 immunohistochemistry, nuclear morphometry and DNA cytometry.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether combined quantitative immunohistochemistry of S-100, nuclear morphometry and DNA image cytometry improves discrimination between benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions (MSLs).


METHODS
S-100 protein expression was measured in tissue sections of MSLs using an image cytometry system. Localized areas of high S-100 expression were used to identify regions in sequential, facing sections in which morphometric and cytometric features of nuclei, including DNA ploidy, were also measured.


RESULTS
Malignant cases had significantly higher S-100 protein staining intensity, larger nuclei and greater DNA content (P < .05). High staining intensity for S-100 protein weakly correlated with variation in size of the mean nuclear area (P = .04) and DNA content (P = .03). Combining the features of nuclear area and DNA integrated optical density in areas of high-intensity staining for S-100 protein discriminated more accurately between 12 benign and 16 malignant areas than any of the features along (P = .0003).


CONCLUSIONS
Combined multivariate quantitative immunohistochemical, morphometric and DNA cytometric analysis greatly improves discrimination between benign MSLs and malignant melanoma. Larger test sets are required to confirm the promising results of this initial study.
Williams
R A
RA
Department of Anatomical Pathology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
Rode
J
J
Baak
J P
JP
Charlton
I G
IG
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007620:Karyometry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011003:Ploidies; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009418:S100 Proteins