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Melanocyte colonization and pigmentation of breast carcinoma
Author(s) -
AZZOPARDI J. G.,
EUSEBI V.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1977.tb01641.x
Subject(s) - melanocyte , melanin , epidermis (zoology) , biology , colonization , pathology , cancer , breast cancer , lymphatic system , melanosome , carcinoma , staining , melanoma , cancer research , medicine , anatomy , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
Colonization of mammary cancers by melanocytes with attendant pigmentation of cancer cells by melanin occurs in most cases of breast cancer in which the dermal‐epidermal interface is reached by the tumour cells. There is evidence to suggest that the mammary cancer may become colonized at the expense of the epidermis, which is focally depleted of melanocytes. Melanocytes can even be found in groups of tumour cells within lymphatics. Colonization and pigmentation of breast cancer is usually only easily detected by selective staining methods. In very rare cases it can be gross and easily detectable in routine stains. The implications of this migratory phenomenon are discussed in terms of the biology of the melanocyte.