Excision of melanoma after initial biopsy. An immunohistochemical study

An immunohistochemical method for the demonstration of S-100 protein was used to identify melanocytes in fourteen cases of malignant melanoma subsequently excised after initial punch biopsy. Although S-100 protein-containing cutaneous nerves and dermal dendritic cells could be identified within the area of dermal repair, there was no evidence of physical movement of atypical melanocytes or nevus cells downward into the scarified area. This study cannot confirm the concept that punch biopsy of melanoma physically seeds atypical cells into the dermis.