title: Metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma: a case report and literature review.
abstract: A case of metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma (BCMM) is presented. The balloon melanoma cells (BMC) were absent in the shave biopsy of the primary lesion and present as a minor component in the wide and deep excision. A subsequent right neck lymph node metastasis showed complete replacement of the lymph node by large, foamy cells. Though the tumor was amelanocytic and Fontana-Masson stain failed to reveal melanin, it stained positively for S-100, HMB-45, and Melan-A. Ultrastructurally, the foamy cells were characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolization and a lack of melanosomes. The differential diagnosis of metastatic balloon cell malignant melanoma is broad, and clinicopathologic correlation may play a critical role in achieving the correct diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simms
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wieczorek
authors.forename: Yanan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subietas-Mayol
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhiheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D011859:Radiography; D016622:Silver Staining; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*