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Case Reports
. 2026 Mar 1;48(3):230-232.
doi: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000003209. Epub 2026 Jan 2.

Melanocytoma With Morphologic Features Reminiscent of BAP-1-Inactivated Melanocytoma but With a Different Molecular Profile

Blair B Wright  1 , Ruth Walters, Paul Googe, Rami N Al-Rohil
Affiliations
Case Reports

Melanocytoma With Morphologic Features Reminiscent of BAP-1-Inactivated Melanocytoma but With a Different Molecular Profile

Blair B Wright et al. Am J Dermatopathol. .

Abstract

BRCA1-associated protein (BAP1)-inactivated melanocytoma (BIM) exhibits a unique, biphasic cellular composition. The tumor comprises 2 distinct melanocytic populations: a cytologically bland nevoid of aggregated nests and a more distinctive group of larger, epithelioid melanocytes with prominent eosinophilic cytoplasm. Both cell populations typically test positive for BRAF V600E, with the epithelioid component demonstrating biallelic BAP1 inactivation, which can be demonstrated by loss of BAP1 nuclear expression by immunohistochemistry within the epithelioid melanocytes. Most cases are sporadic; however, some patients have an underlying BAP1 germline mutation. We report a case of a 15-year-old girl with a strong family history of breast cancer and a brown to pink, dome-shaped nodule on the left wrist. A shave biopsy of the nodule showed a dermal-based melanocytic proliferation with features like those described in BAP-1 inactivated melanocytoma with BRAF V600E expression; however, BAP-1 expression was retained. Furthermore, molecular testing of the lesion revealed BRAC2 and CHEK2 germline mutations. This case highlights that the histopathologic features of BAP-1-inactivated melanocytoma can be seen in the setting of an underlying germline mutation other than BAP-1 inactivation. Further study of melanocytic tumors showing BIMT-like histology but with normal BAP1 immunostaining is warranted, because some may contain clues to underlying germline mutations related to family cancer predisposition.

Keywords: BAP1-inactivated melanocytic tumor; BMIT; BRCA2 mutated nevus; CHEK2 mutated nevus; melanocytic tumors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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