The behavior of reticulin fibers in and around melanomas

A previous study confirmed the correlation between the vertical diameter of malignant melanomas and prognosis. In 72 of these tumors we examined the pattern and number of reticulin fibers (RF) around and within the melanomas. An increase in vertical diameter was accompanied by an increase of RF within the tumor and a decrease of RF on its edges. The differences were not sufficienty signficant to allow firm prognosis.