Gross Prosection of Melanocytic Lesions

The accurate diagnosis of melanocytic neoplasms depends not only on adequate clinical sampling and careful histopathological evaluation, but also on technical variables that affect tissue preservation. Tissues must be examined and processed in a way that allows for diagnosis, margin assessment, and subsequent performance of additional immunohistochemical or molecular studies if necessary. This chapter reviews handling techniques for the most commonly encountered cutaneous melanocytic lesions.