Metastatic Melanoma of Unknown Primary Presenting with Multiple Cutaneous Nodules

A Case Report with Brief Review of Literature

  • Nivedita Samanta Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
  • Swati Sharma Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
  • Prahlad H Yathiraj Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
  • Ranjini Kudva Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
  • Manna Valiathan Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
Keywords: Melanoma, Subcutaneous swelling, Unknown primary

Abstract

Melanoma usually present as well-known primary lesions. Rarely, they present with the lymph node, subcutaneous or visceral involvement without evidence of any primary lesion. In such cases they are called Melanoma of unknown primary site (MUP). Melanoma are fast growing cancers. Many environmental and genetics factors predispose to their development. We report a case of multiple subcutaneous swellings all over the body in a 42 year male, without any primary skin lesions. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of these lesions confirmed them to be melanoma. Even after extensive search no primary tumour could be found in the patient.

Author Biographies

Nivedita Samanta, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
Dept of Pathology
Swati Sharma, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
Dept of Pathology
Prahlad H Yathiraj, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India
Dept of Radiotherapy
Ranjini Kudva, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
Dept of Pathology
Manna Valiathan, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, INDIA
Dept of Pathology

References

1. Walton B, McCammon S, Quinn Jr FB, Quinn MS. Metastatic melanoma of unknown primary: a unique entity. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2012;1-8.
2. Van der Ploeg AP, Haydu LE, Spillane AJ, et al. Melanoma patients with an unknown primary tumor site have a better outcome than those with a known primary following therapeutic lymph node dissection for macroscopic (clinically palpable) nodal disease. Ann Surg Oncol. 2014 ;9:3108-16.
3. Clerico R, Bottoni U, Paolino G, et al. Melanoma with unknown primary: report and analysis of 24 patients. Med Oncol. 2012 ;4:2978-84.
4. Schlagenhauff B, Stroebel W, Ellwanger U, et al. Metastatic melanoma of unknown primary origin shows prognostic similarities to regional metastatic melanoma. Cancer. 1997;1:60-5.
5. Anbari KK, Schuchter LM, Bucky LP, et al. Melanoma of unknown primary site. Cancer. 1997;9:1816-21.
6. Pack GT, Gerber DM, Scharnagel IM. End results in the treatment of malignant melanoma: a report of 1190 cases. Ann Surg.1952 ;6:905-07.
7. Dasgupta T, Bowden L, Berg JW. Malignant Melanoma of Unknown PRIMARY Origin.Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1963 ;117:341-45.

8. Katz KA, Jonasch E, Hodi FS, et al. Melanoma of unknown primary: experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Melanoma Res. 2005 ;1:77-82.
9. Mărgăritescu IR, Chiriţă AD, Vasilescu F. Completely regressed primary cutaneous melanoma-difficulties in diagnosis and classification. Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2014;55:635-42.
10. Giuliano AE, Moseley HS, Morton DL. Clinical aspects of unknown primary melanoma. Ann Surg. 1980 Jan;1:98-101.
11. Egberts F, Bergner I, Krüger S, et al. Metastatic melanoma of unknown primary resembles the genotype of cutaneous melanomas. Ann Oncol. 2013;25:246-50.
12. Moorchung N, Mukherjee B, Srinivas V, Subramanya H. Metastatic amelanotic malignant melanoma with unknown primary—A case report. Med J Armed Forces India. 2004;60:295-96.
13. Ghosh SK, Bandyopadhyay D, Barma KD, Basu S, Roy A. Metastatic melanoma from an unknown primary site presenting as skin-colored nodules and multiple visceral involvement. Skinmed. 2011;10:396-99.
14. Lee J, Lee SY, Cha SI, Ahn BC, Park JY, Jung TH et al. A Case of Metastatic Endobronchial Melanoma from an Unknown Primary Site. Tuberc Respir Dis. 2012;72:169-72.
15. Reddy P, Walker C, Afonso B. A rare case of metastatic malignant melanoma to the colon from an unknown primary. Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2014;14-20.
16. Chang P, Knapper WH. Metastatic melanoma of unknown primary. Cancer. 1982;49:1106- 11.
Published
2019-06-24
Section
Case Report