MINIMAL DEVIATION MELANOMA, HALO NEVUS TYPE, CONT'D.
Because of the unusual appearance of this tumor, deeper sections from the block were obtained in order that slides be prepared for consultation purposes. These pictures are from the deeper sections. The staining properties of these sections differ somewhat from the initial sections.
 
Scan power view showing an expansile nodule of large, round cells in the upper left part of the dermis.
Low power view of above.Although there are lymphocytes within the nodule, there are clusters without lymphocytes separating the individual cells.
Very high power view of above. The lack of lymphocytes between so many individual cells can be interpreted as evidence of neoplastic progression in this setting. 

These cells differ in appearance from those found in certain variants of combined nevi, but combined nevus is in the differential diagnosis.
Low power view of an area of atypical intraepidermal melanocytic hyperplasia or dysplasia. This degree of atypia only showed up in this field.

  Large, round pagetoid cells of the type that would be characteristric of the radial growth phase of a superficial spreading melanoma were not found in the specimen.

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