Amelanotic acral melanoma misdiagnosed as verruca plantaris

Abstract: We report a case of amelanotic acral melanoma in a 42-year-old Chinese woman. Ten months previously the patient found a 2-cm asymmetric erythematous macular plaque on her left sole. The lesion was diagnosed as verruca plantaris by every physician the patient consulted. One month ago, an enlarged lymph node was detected in the left groin, which biopsy reported as metastatic melanoma. Dermoscopy suggested verruca plantaris, and positron emission tomography (PET) revealed increased glucose metabolism in the macular plaque. Finally, biopsy of the plaque revealed amelanotic melanoma. Misdiagnosis and diagnostic delay are usually associated with poorer patient outcomes. Awareness of atypical presentations of acral melanoma is thus important for decreasing misdiagnosis rates and improving patient outcomes.

Melanoma amelanótico acral en un paciente diabético / Acral amelanotic melanoma in a diabetic patient

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and worse prognosis tumors. Early diagnosis is essential to offer therapeutic alternatives. Presentation may be variable. Within these the amelanotic melanoma form. We present the case of a patient treated at the ¨Hospital Regional de Talca¨, with an unclear diagnosis of melanoma at a first moment given the characteristics and location of the lesion, the history of trauma and the patient comorbidities, which after biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis, the diagnosis of amelanotic melanoma is possible.

Amelanotic corneally displaced malignant conjunctival melanoma: a case report evaluated with impression cytology / Melanoma amelanótico conjuntival maligno deslocado sobre a córnea com citologia de impressão: relato de caso

Here we describe the case of a 65-year-old Caucasian female who presented with an amelanotic malignant conjunctival melanoma and highlight the clinical and pathological features of this rare entity that displayed exclusive corneal invasive growth without evidence of conjunctival tumors other than primary acquired melanosis. Impression cytology aided in the initial diagnosis. The patient underwent surgical treatment. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed an invasive amelanotic melanoma limited to the cornea and exhibiting S-100, Melan A, and HMB-45 positivity. The absence of pigmentation delayed early clinical detection and treatment. Awareness of this nonpigmented melanoma is important for early recognition and appropriate management.

Os autores descrevem o caso de uma mulher branca de 65 anos que apresentava um melanoma amelanótico maligno conjuntival e destacam as características clínicas e patológicas desta entidade rara com crescimento invasivo exclusivo na córnea sem evidência de tumores na conjuntiva além de melanose adquirida primária sem pigmento. A citologia de impressão auxiliou no diagnóstico inicial. A paciente foi submetida a tratamento cirúrgico. A histopatologia e a imuno-histoquímica revelaram um melanoma amelanótico invasivo limitado sobre a córnea exibindo positividade para proteína S-100, Melan A e HMB-45. A ausência de pigmentação retardou sua identificação clínica e seu tratamento precoce. O conhecimento deste melanoma não pigmentado é importante para o reconhecimento precoce e a conduta apropriada.

Amelanotic metastatic cutaneous melanoma / Melanoma metastatico amelanotico cutaneo

Dermatoscopy of melanocytic lesions has guided the decision of when or not to biopsy a lesion. The use of this tool has increased clinical examination's sensitivity and specificity in 89% and 96% respectively. However, dermatoscopic evaluation of amelanotic or hypomelanotic melanomas, as well as metastases, can be difficult. There is still no standardization for the analysis of these pathologies, which relies mostly on their vascular pattern. We describe the dermatoscopy of acral metastatic amelanotic melanoma.

A dermatoscopia das lesões melanocíticas tem auxiliado na decisão de biopsiar ou não uma lesão. A utilização desta ferramenta aumentou a sensibilidade e a especificidade do diagnóstico para 89% e 96%, respectivamente. No entanto, a avaliação dermatoscópica de melanomas amelanóticos ou hipomelanóticos, bem como a de metástases cutâneas, pode ser difícil. Ainda falta uma padronização para a análise destas patologias, que se baseia, majoritariamente, no seu padrão vascular. Descreve-se a dermatoscopia de melanoma metastático amelanótico acral.

Dermoscopic clues in the diagnosis of amelanotic and hypomelanotic malignant melanoma / Pistas dermatoscópicas no diagnóstico de melanoma maligno amelanótico e hipomelanótico

The clinical identification of amelanotic malignant melanoma (AMM) and hypomelanotic malignant melanoma (HMM) becomes difficult due to the lack of pigmentation and to the diverse clinical presentations. Dermoscopy is very useful in these cases, increasing the level of suspicion of malignancy. We report 4 cases of amelanotic malignant melanoma and hypomelanotic malignant melanoma with characteristic dermoscopic findings. Dermoscopy under polarized light demonstrates vascular polymorphism, globules and milky-red areas, in addition to chrysalis and multiple blue-gray dots.

A identificação clínica de melanoma maligno amelanótico e hipomelanótico torna-se difícil devido à falta de pigmentação e às diversas apresentações desse tipo de tumor. A dermatoscopia é muito útil nestes casos, aumentando o grau de suspeição de malignidade. Relatamos 4 casos de melanoma maligno amelanótico e melanoma maligno hipomelanótico com achados dermatoscópicos característicos. A dermatoscopia com luz polarizada demonstra polimorfismo vascular, glóbulos e áreas vermelholeitosas, assim como crisálides e múltiplos pontos azul-acinzentados.

Suboclusión intestinal secundario a melanoma amelánico metastásico / Intestinal subocclusion following metastatic melanoma: case report

El Melanoma Amelánico (MA) es una de las variantes clínicas de Melanoma Melánico (MM), encontrándose aproximadamente en el 2% de los casos de (MM). El melanoma es el tumor con mayor predilección por metastizar en el intestino delgado. El diagnóstico de estas lesiones se hace con la ayuda del examen histopatológico y marcadores de inmunohistoquímica. El pronóstico de (MA) no muestra variación en relación con el (MM) pigmentado y continua dependiendo de la edad del paciente, sexo, localización y espesor de la lesión. Se debe tener en cuenta que el (MA) a menudo tiene un nivel de invasión Clark IV o V en el momento del diagnóstico debido a que sus características clínicas retardan la sospecha diagnóstica. La cirugía se considera útil en pacientes con metástasis de melanoma en el tracto gastrointestinal, ya que, a pesar de una media de superviviencia de 6-12 meses, que proporciona buen alivio con baja morbilidad y mortalidad. Se presenta un caso de un hombre de 56 años de edad que a los 53 años se le resecó nevus en región costal izquierda sin estudio de anatomía patológica, reingresando a dicha edad por cuadro de suboclusión intestinal por melanoma amelánico secundario a lesión primaria cutánea. Se realizó resección radical intestinal cutánea y dacarbacina 5 ciclos de 5 días. Después de unos cuantas semanas, demostró múltiples nódulos dispersos en ambos pulmones y una RM cerebral mostró múltiples nódulos delimitados en ambos hemisferios cerebrales. Su condición clínica comenzó a deteriorarse rápidamente con evidencia de enfermedad metastásica generalizada. El paciente murió 5 meses después de iniciado el diagnóstico.

The Amelanic Melanoma (AM) is one of the clinical variants of the Melanic Melanoma (MM), corresponding to the 2% of the cases of MM. The malanoma is the tumor with major predilection for metastases in the small intestine. The diagnosis of these injuries can be made with the help of the histopathology examination and immunohistochemical markers. The prognosis of the AM does not show change as regards the pigmentate MM and continue depending in the age of the patient, sex, location and thickness of the injury. You must know that the MA often has a level of invacion Clark IV or V at the moment of the diagnostic because his clinical characteristics slow down the diagnostic suspicion. The surgery is useful in patients with gastrointestinal tract metastasis of melanoma, due to provides good mitigation with low morbidity and mortality in the 6-12 months of survival. We present a case of a 56 -year-old man who at the age of 53 was resected a nevus in the left costal region without study of pathological anatomy, re-entering at the above mentioned age for a subocclusion intestinal syndrome for amelanic melanoma secondary to primary cutaneous injury. Radical intestinal resection and cutaneous resection was made and 5 cycles of dacarbacine for 5 days. After few weeks, it demonstrated multiple nodules dispersed in both lungs and a cerebral RM showed multiple nodules delimited in both cerebral hemispheres. His clinical condition began to deteriorate rapidly with evidence of widespread metastatic illness. The patient died 5 months after initiated the diagnosis.

[Amelanotic spitzoid melanoma of the digit: a case report]

Melanomas of digit is rare, accounting for 1% of all cutaneous melanomas. We report a new case. Our purpose is to discuss the clinicopathological characteristics and the difficulties encountred in establishing diagnosis of this rare tumor. We report the case of a 25 years old woman, who consulted for nodular and ulcerated lesion of the right index, located in the external face of the metacrapo-phalangial joint. The nodule was biopsied and histopathologic exam concluded to spitzoid melanoma. The surgical margins were involved. The patient refused surgical recovery. She consulted 3 years later with axillary lymph nodes. A wide excision of the tumor with lymph node biopsy were made. Histological study concluded to a tumoral residu incompletely excided with lymph node metastases. Amputation of the second digit with dissection of the axillary lymph nodes was made. The surgical margins were tumor free. Lung metastases appeared with a follow up of two months. The patient died early after starting chemotherapy with Deticen. In our report, clinical presentation was misleading causing a diagnosis and therapeutic delay. Pathologically, all the histological types of melanoma were described in the digit except spitzoid melanoma

Melanoma maligno eczematoide / Eczematoid malignant melanoma

Objetivo: comunicar una forma rara de melanoma maligno amelanótico, denominada eczematoide o tipo placa inflamatoria. Caso clínico: paciente de sexo femenino y 74 años de edad, que presenta una placa eczematoide en pierna, con diagnóstico histopatológico de melanoma extensivo superficial, nivel Clark IV e índice de Breslow 1,7 mm. Conclusión: recordar la existencia de melanomas "falsos negativos" o "evasores de campaña", que no cumplen con el ABCD clásico de los melanomas

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is exceedingly rare. The existence of primary malignant melanoma in the esophagus had been in doubt until the presence of benign melanocytes was demonstrated within the esophagus. Hematogenous and lymphatic metastases are common. The prognosis is poor even after a radical procedure due to early metastasis. We report here two cases of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus. One is a melanotic melanoma and the other is an amelanotic melanoma.