Barnhill

 
"Almost all melanomas begin as proliferation of melanocytes initially confined to the epidermis."
 
"The duration of this intraepidermal phase ranges from months to many years during which these proliferative lesions show progressive degrees of architectural and cytologic atypicality. Increasing cytologic atypia of melanocytes accompanies the aberrant architectural appearance. The melanocytes vary in degree of atypia and the proportion of cells with nuclear atypia . . . " Barnhill RL. Textbook of dermatopathology. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1998:573.
 

Brief Critique

 
The findings presented are not distinguishing from those of Spitz's nevus.