Ciliation index is a useful diagnostic tool in challenging spitzoid melanocytic neoplasms

The loss of primary cilia on melanocytes is a useful biomarker for the distinction of melanoma from conventional melanocytic nevi. It is unknown whether ciliation status is beneficial for diagnosing spitzoid tumors - a subclass of melanomas that present inherently ambiguous histology and are challenging to classify. We evaluated ciliation index (CI) in 68 cases of spitzoid tumors ranging from Spitz nevi (SN) and atypical Spitz tumors (AST) to spitzoid melanoma (SM). We found a significant decrease in CI within the SM group when compared to either the SN or AST groups.
Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research