title: False-positive cells in sentinel lymph nodes.
abstract: Melanoma sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) are carefully evaluated to maximize sensitivity. Examination includes hematoxylin and eosin (H+E) stained sections at multiple levels through the node, with subsequent immunohistochemical (IHC) stains for melanocytic markers if H+E sections are negative for melanoma. However, not all IHC-positive cells in SLN are metastatic melanoma, as evidenced by the presence of MART-1 positive cells in SLN from breast cancer patients with no history of melanoma (so-called 'false-positive' cells). These 'false-positive cells' could be nodal nevus, non-melanocytic cells with cross-reacting antigenic determinants, phagocytic cells containing melanocyte antigens, or possibly melanocytes or melanocyte stem cells liberated at the time of biopsy of the cutaneous melanoma. Examination of SLN requires careful correlation of H+E and IHC findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03755, USA. Jeoffry.B.Brennick@Hitchcock.org
authors.forename: Jeoffry B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Brennick
authors.forename: Shaofeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; C548667:MLANA protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins