Esophagus
Other nonneoplastic
Melanocytosis
Author: Elliot Weisenberg, M.D.
Last author update: 1 January 2013
Last staff update: 17 December 2020
Copyright: 2003-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Melanocytosis esophagus
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Positive stains | Negative stains | Electron microscopy description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Weisenberg E. Melanocytosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/esophagusmelanocytosis.html. Accessed December 4th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Melanocytes are present in 8% of normal esophageal specimens (Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol 1990;417:137) but grossly visible lesion in less than 0.2% of upper endoscopy patients (Endoscopy 1990;22:94, J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2011;26:1463)
- Benign, involves mid / lower esophagus
- More common in men
- May be due to gastroesophageal reflux disease
- May be a precursor of esophageal melanoma
- Recommended to not use term "melanosis" (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2006;130:552)
Gross description
- No abnormalities
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Melanocytic proliferation in basal layer of esophageal squamous epithelium with increased quantity of melanin; overlying epithelium may demonstrate hyperplasia, acanthosis or hyperkeratosis; variable inflammation, melanophages, fibrosis and telangiectasia; no atypia
Positive stains
Electron microscopy description
- Long dendritic cytoplasmic processes that extend between keratinocytes, melanosomes; mildly hyperchromatic nuclei with uniform chromatin and indented nuclei; no desmosomes or tonofilaments (Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol 1991;418:515)
Differential diagnosis
