Diagnostic application of panels of antibodies in mucosal melanomas of the head and neck.

This article describes the use of panels of antibodies in the histopathologic diagnosis of ten malignant melanomas arising in the mucosa of the head and neck. The immunohistochemistry analysis was performed in a step-by-step manner. In the first step a panel of antibodies discriminating between carcinoma, malignant lymphoma, and melanoma was used. Staining with antivimentin and the melanoma-associated antigen, moAb NKI/C-3, was found to occur in all cases. The NKI/C-3 stained nine of 10 specimens from the first biopsy. Anti-S-100 protein, anti-HMW-MAA, and NKI-beteb was used as a panel in the second step. These stained ten of ten, five of six, and seven of seven cases, respectively. The diagnosis for melanin was confirmed by extensive sampling and a diligent search for melanin and (pre)melanosomes in different biopsy and surgical specimens. These results indicate that a step-wise application of immunohistochemistry is a very useful tool in the diagnosis of mucosal melanoma of the head and neck.