Melanocytoma

A melanocytoma is a rare pigmented tumor that has been described as a variant of the melanocytic nevus[1] and is derived from the neural crest.

[3][4] Histologically, the tumor is characterized by large, uniformly shaped polyhedral nevus cells that are pigmented and closely packed.

[6] Similar to malignant melanoma, it exhibits an immunohistochemical profile with S-100 protein-, vimentin-, and HMB-45-positive tumor cells.

While melanocytomas are generally considered to be benign tumors,[7] they have the potential for growth, recurrence, and transformation into malignant melanoma.

[citation needed] Pigmented tumors can raise concerns about the possibility of a malignant melanoma, a condition that may present both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.