Premium
Aberrant expression of FLI ‐1 in melanoma
Author(s) -
Ramani Nisha,
Aung Phyu P.,
Hwu WenJen,
Nagarajan Priyadharsini,
Tetzlaff Michael T.,
Curry Johnathan L.,
Ivan Doina,
Prieto Victor G.,
TorresCabala Carlos A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/cup.12979
Subject(s) - immunostaining , melanoma , pathology , sox10 , immunohistochemistry , medicine , microphthalmia associated transcription factor , staining , transcription factor , cancer research , biology , gene , biochemistry
Friend leukemia integration site 1 ( FLI ‐1 ) nuclear transcription factor has been proposed as a suitable tool in the differential diagnosis of small round cell sarcomas. It has also been described as a nuclear marker of endothelial differentiation. Expression of FLI ‐1 has been demonstrated in Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor ( ES / PNET ) and vascular neoplasms. In the present study, we describe 2 cases of metastatic melanoma with small round blue cell morphology that showed strong nuclear expression of FLI ‐1. Because of the small round blue cell morphology and negative immunohistochemical staining for pan‐melanocytic cocktail ( HMB45 , anti MART1 and anti‐tyrosinase) and SOX10 in both cases, FLI ‐1 immunostaining was requested as part of the tumors workup. Ultimately, both cases were established as being metastatic melanoma. Dermatopathologists should be aware that melanoma can be strongly positive for FLI ‐1 and not misinterpret these cases for ES / PNET or vascular lesions, especially when melanomas show unusual morphology.