# Deep Dermal and Subcutaneous Deposits in Thin Melanoma: A Cautionary Tale

## TL;DR

This paper warns that thin melanomas can have deep deposits that may indicate more aggressive disease, emphasizing the need for thorough examination.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in highlighting rare cases of microsatellitosis in thin melanomas and advocating for careful evaluation.

## Key findings

- Microsatellitosis was identified in three cases of thin primary melanomas.
- Deep dermal/subcutaneous deposits were found despite the tumors being clinically localized.
- The findings underscore the importance of thorough examination to avoid misclassification.

## Abstract

Melanoma microsatellites are peritumoral metastatic deposits and surrogates for potentially aggressive biological behavior. Their presence indicates clinical stage III disease. They are rarely reported in association with thin primary tumors (< 1.0 mm, pT1). As a poor prognostic factor, the identification of microsatellitosis in an otherwise localized, thin primary melanoma would result in upstaging and additional investigative and therapeutic considerations. Therefore, when microsatellitosis is suspected, efforts should be made to exclude possible mimics. We present three cases of thin melanomas with deep dermal/subcutaneous deposits to highlight the importance of careful and thorough gross and microscopic examination of all melanoma cases, regardless of T‐category.