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Case Reports
. 2023 Mar 30;15(3):e36907.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.36907. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Melanocytic Matricoma: A Potential Mimic of Malignant Melanoma

John Yablonski  1 , Heather Foley  2 , Harleen K Sidhu  3 , Jagmohan S Sidhu  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Melanocytic Matricoma: A Potential Mimic of Malignant Melanoma

John Yablonski et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Melanocytic matricoma is a rare dermal tumor that typically presents on the sun-damaged skin of older patients. While there is controversy in the literature regarding the proper characterization of this tumor, there are certain histological and immunohistochemical features that have been described. This report presents a case of melanocytic matricoma with several unusual features that were initially feared to be malignant melanoma. Careful histologic and immunohistochemical analysis was required to rule out malignant melanoma and make the correct diagnosis. Given the rarity of melanocytic matricoma and the potential for it to mimic malignant melanoma, it is important for pathologists to keep melanocytic matricoma on the differential and be aware of the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features of this tumor.

Keywords: dermal tumor; histology; immunohistochemistry staining; melanocytic matricoma; melanoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. H&E: x40; small (2 mm) circumscribed tumor in the dermis with peripheral patches of pigmented cells
Figure 2
Figure 2. H&E: x100; patches of pigmented cells (red arrows), blue basaloid cells (yellow arrow), and shadow cells (blue arrows)
Figure 3
Figure 3. H&E: x400; mitoses close to and away from pigmented cells (black rings) and a few shadow cells (blue arrow)
Figure 4
Figure 4. H&E: x400; mitoses in the non-pigmented cells (black rings) and several shadow cells (pink areas)
Figure 5
Figure 5. Immunohistochemical stains: x40: A: LEF-1; B: Beta-Catenin; C: p16; D: Melan-A; E: SOX10; F: Ki67
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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