Which of the following is the site of malignant transformation of melanocytes in melanoma?
Melanoma results from the malignant transformation of melanocytes usually located at the dermal-epidermal junction. Melanoma confined to the epidermis is termed melanoma in situ, which is theoretically 100% curable. With time, the melanoma invades veically into the dermis where it can metastasize to the regional lymph nodes and/or other distant visceral organ systems the lymphatic or vascular systems. Ref: Ludgate M.W., Wang T.S. (2009). Chapter 100. Skin Cancer. In J.B. Halter, J.G. Ouslander, M.E. Tinetti, S. Studenski, K.P. High, S. Asthana (Eds), Hazzard's Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 6e.
Junctional melanocytes
Epidermal cells
Basal cells
Follicular cells