Significance of aberrant melanosomes in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Seventeen cases of malignant melanoma (MM) were observed with transmission electron microscopy in order to clarify the significance of abberant melanosomes in its diagnosis.30 cases of nevus were also studied to serve as control.It was found that aberrant melanosomes were present in 14 cases of MM including 2 cases of amelanotic MM and absent in 2 cases of pigmented MM and one case of amelanotic MM.In addition,aberrant melanosomes were found in 4 cases of congenital nevus.The findings suggest that the significance of aberrant melanosomes in the diagnosis of MM has been overemphasized.It is believed that the diagnosis of MM must be judged comprehensively on all the ultrastructural changes under transmission electron microscope.