Acral melanoma has been reported to have distinctive clinical presentation and ethnic distribution
compared to other histological types of malignant melanoma. Acral melanoma also exhibits distinctive
focused gene amplifi cations, including cyclin D1 overexpression. We reviewed archived histological
material of malignant melanoma in the Sarawak General Hospital from year 2004 to 2010. 43
tumours, comprising 28 acral melanoma and 15 non-acral melanoma, had suffi cient material to be
included in the study. The majority (36%) of acral melanoma tumours occurred in the heel. The
tumours were analyzed for cyclin D1 expression by immunohistochemistry. 68% of acral melanoma
were cyclin D1 positive compared to a positivity of 33% in non-acral tumours. This difference
was statistically signifi cant (p <0.05). This fi nding may improve the histological diagnosis of acral
melanoma and detection of positive resection margins.