Description

Microarray Panel	Malignant melanoma test tissue microarray, including 6 cases of malignant melanoma, quadruple cores per case, arranged in 4x small square of array (2x3) for optimizing experimental conditions
Cores	24	T388 H&E
Cases	6
Row number	4
Column number	6
Core Diameter (mm)	1.5
Thickness (µm)	5
QA/QC	Anti-Actin confirmed
Tissue Array Type	FFPE
Species	Human
Applications	Routine histology procedures including Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and In Situ Hybridization (ISH), protocols which can be found at our support page.
Notes	1. TMA slides were sectioned and stored at 4°C and may not be fresh cut, but still suitable for IHC. Please request fresh cut if experiment involves phospho-specific antibodies, RNA studies, FISH or ISH, etc. A minimum of 3 slides per TMA must be purchased to cover the cost of trimming for fresh sectioning. 2. Most TMA slides were not coated with an extra layer of paraffin (tissue cores can be easily seen on the glass). To prevent tissue detachment during antigen retrieval, unbaked slides must be baked for at least 30 to 120 minutes at 60°C. before putting into xylene for de-paraffinization. Baked slides were sent out baked for 2 hours. In the following specsheet,“*” means invalid core; “-” means no applicable or negative in IHC markers.

AJCC-TNM classification for mucosal melanoma of the head and neck

T3 Mucosal disease

Primary Tumour
T3	Mucosal disease
T4a	Moderately advanced disease. Tumour involving deep soft tissue, cartilage, one, or overlying skin.
T4b	Very advanced disease. Tumour involving brain, dura, skull base, lower cranial nerves (IX, X, XI, XII), masticator space, carotid artery, prevertebral space or mediastinal structures
Regional lymph nodes
NX	Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
N0	No regional lymph node metastases
N1	Regional lymph node metastases present

Clinical stage

Stage III	T3	N0	M0
Stage IVA	T4a	N0	M0
	T3-T4a	N1	M0
Stage IVB	T4b	Any N	M0
Stage IVC	Any T	Any N	M1

Vulvovaginal mucosal melanoma
Vulval melanomas are staged using the same AJCC-TNM classification as the table above. There is no staging system for vaginal melanoma, so a simplified clinical staging system can be used to categorise these melanomas.
Vaginal melanoma

Stage I	Clinically localized disease
Stage II	Regional nodal involvement
Stage III	Distant metastatic involvement

Anorectal mucosal melanoma
Anorectal mucosal melanoma is staged using the same simplified staging system as vaginal melanoma.
Anorectal mucosal melanoma

Stage I	Clinically localized disease
Stage II	Regional nodal involvement
Stage III	Distant metastatic involvement

Melanoma of the skins
Primary tumor (T)
* TX: Primary tumor cannot be assessed (e.g., shave biopsy or regressed melanoma)
* T0: No evidence of primary tumor
* Tis: Melanoma in situ
* T1: Tumor 1.0 mm or less in thickness with or without ulceration
  * T1a: Tumor 1.0 mm or less in thickness and Clarks level II or III, no ulceration
  * T1b: Tumor 1.0 mm or less in thickness and Clarks level IV or V or with ulceration
* T2: Tumor more than 1.0 mm but not more than 2.0 mm in thickness with or without ulceration
  * T2a: Tumor more than 1.0 mm but not more than 2.0 mm in thickness, no ulceration
  * T2b: Tumor more than 1.0 mm but not more than 2.0 mm in thickness, with ulceration
* T3: Tumor more than 2.0 mm but not more than 4 mm in thickness with or without ulceration
  * T3a: Tumor more than 2.0 mm but not more than 4 mm in thickness, no ulceration
  * T3b: Tumor more than 2.0 mm but not more than 4 mm in thickness, with ulceration
* T4: Tumor more than 4.0 mm in thickness with or without ulceration
  * T4a: Tumor more than 4.0 mm in thickness, no ulceration
  * T4b: Tumor more than 4.0 mm in thickness, with ulceration


Regional lymph nodes (N)
* NX: Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
* N0: No regional lymph node metastasis
* N1: Metastasis to 1 lymph node
  * N1a: Clinically occult (microscopic) metastasis
  * N1b: Clinically apparent (macroscopic) metastasis
* N2: Metastasis to 2 or 3 regional nodes or intralymphatic regional metastasis without nodal metastases
  * N2a: Clinically occult (microscopic) metastasis
  * N2b: Clinically apparent (macroscopic) metastasis
  * N2c: Satellite or in transit metastasis without nodal metastasis
* N3: Metastasis in 4 or more regional nodes, or matted lymph nodes, or in transit metastasis or satellite(s) with metastatic regional node(s)
Note: Micrometastases are diagnosed after elective or sentinel lymphadenectomy; macrometastases are defined as clinically detectable lymph nodes metastases confirmed by therapeutic lymphadenectomy, or when any lymph node metastasis exhibits gross extracapsular extension.
Distant Metastasis (M)
* MX: Distant metastasis cannot be assessed
* M0: No distant metastasis
* M1: Distant metastasis
  * M1a: Metastasis to skin, subcutaneous tissues, or distant lymph nodes
  * M1b: Metastasis to lung
  * M1c: Metastasis to all other visceral sites or distant metastasis at any site associated with an elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH)

Stage Groupings
Stage 0
  Tis, N0, M0
Stage IA
   T1a, N0, M0
Stage IB
   T1b, N0, M0
   T2a, N0, M0
Stage IIA
  T2b, N0, M0
  T3a, N0, M0
Stage IIB
  T3b, N0, M0
  T4a, N0, M0
Stage IIC
  T4b, N0, M0
Stage III
  Any T, N1, M0
   Any T, N2, M0
  Any T, N3, M0
Stage IV
  Any T, any N, M1