Affiliation
Department of Histopathology, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Withington, Manchester.Issue Date
1996-03
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
AIMS: To investigate the immunoreactivity of a range of melanocytic lesions, both benign and malignant, with the monoclonal antibody VS38. This was recently described as a marker of reactive/neoplastic plasma cells and, therefore, is useful in the diagnosis of plasmacytoma/myeloma and lymphomas with plasmacytic differentiation. This study was prompted by the recent observation that a plasmacytoid melanoma arising in the nasal cavity was strongly immunoreactive with VS38, which was therefore a potential source of major diagnostic error. METHODS: The Streptavidin-peroxidase complex technique was used on paraffin wax embedded sections of 167 melanocytic lesions. Diaminobenzidine (DAB) was used as chromogen for non-pigmented or lightly pigmented lesions and nickel/DAB for more heavily pigmented lesions. RESULTS: Positive immunostaining for VS38 was seen in 14.5% (10/69) of benign naevi (including 40% (four of 10) of Spitz naevi), 10.5% (two of 19) of dysplastic naevi/in situ melanomas, 92% (35/38) of primary cutaneous melanomas, 100% (four of four) of primary mucosal melanomas, 91.7% (33/36) of recurrent/metastatic melanomas, and 100% (one of one) of clear cell sarcomas of soft tissues. CONCLUSIONS: VS38 immunostaining is frequently positive in primary and recurrent/metastatic malignant melanoma and is also reactive less commonly with benign naevi. These results should be borne in mind when this recently described marker of normal/neoplastic plasma cells is used to identify tumour lineage, particularly in tumours arising at unusual sites, such as in the nasal cavity. The possibility of malignant melanoma should be actively considered and excluded in any undifferentiated tumour which shows VS38 immunoreactivity.Citation
VS38 immunostaining in melanocytic lesions. 1996, 49 (3):205-7 J. Clin. Pathol.Journal
Journal of Clinical PathologyDOI
10.1136/jcp.49.3.205PubMed ID
8675729Type
ArticleLanguage
enISSN
0021-9746ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1136/jcp.49.3.205
Scopus Count
Collections
Related articles
- Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in benign and malignant cutaneous melanocytic lesions.
- Authors: Massi D, Franchi A, Sardi I, Magnelli L, Paglierani M, Borgognoni L, Maria Reali U, Santucci M
- Issue date: 2001 Jun
- [Contribution of monoclonal antibody HMB45 in the histopathologic diagnosis of melanoma].
- Authors: Pluot M, Joundi A, Grosshans E
- Issue date: 1990
- VS38 immunostaining in neuroendocrine tumours.
- Authors: Banerjee SS, Shanks JH, Hasleton PS
- Issue date: 1997 Mar
- Comparison of pHH3, Ki-67, and survivin immunoreactivity in benign and malignant melanocytic lesions.
- Authors: Nasr MR, El-Zammar O
- Issue date: 2008 Apr
- Differential Clinicopathological Features in Spontaneous Regression of Melanomas and Melanocytic Naevi.
- Authors: Martín JM, Pinazo I, Jordá E, Monteagudo C
- Issue date: 2017 Jun 9