Desmoplastic Melanoma in African American Patients

D esmoplastic melanoma (DM) is an uncommon fibrosing variant of melanoma typically found on chronically sun-damaged skin of elderly white patients. However, it can also affect other ethnic groups and occur at a younger age and/or on sun-protected sites. Familiarity with DM is relevant for clinicians and pathologists because, for the unwary, it may be confused with a benign lesion such as a fibroma or scar, leading to delayed diagnosis of melanoma. We report herein 3 cases of DM in African American women.