Useof anti-phosphohistone H3 immunohistochemistry to determine mitotic rate in thin melanoma.

The seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) melanoma staging system, slated for release in 2010, will introduce mitotic rate (MR) as one of the primary criteria for staging thin melanoma (< or = 1.0 mm). Accurate counts are essential because the finding of a single mitotic figure (MF) will alter the staging and management of these patients.