Clear cells may be intermingled with balloon cells in balloon cell melanoma. Only very exceptionally is a melanoma be composed of an almost pure cell population- clear cell melanoma. The clear cells differ from balloon cells in that they contain excessive amounts of glycogen which can be confirmed with a PAS stain. Clear cell melanoma must be distinguished from primary cutaneous or metastatic clear cell sarcoma and other clear cell tumors/carcinomas. Clear cell melanoma will likely show a junctional component in primary tumors, melanin pigment and positivity for S100 & HMB45. Clear cell sarcoma shows a characteristic t(12;22)(q13-14;q12 translocation, not present in melanoma.