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Primary umbilical melanoma
Author(s) -
Cecchi Roberto,
Pavesi Mario,
Buralli Lauro,
Rapicano Valentina,
De Gaudio Cataldo
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-0960.2009.00544.x
Subject(s) - medicine , umbilicus (mollusc) , vascularity , biopsy , melanoma , sentinel lymph node , peritoneum , sentinel node , pathological , surgery , lymphatic system , navel , radiology , pathology , cancer , breast cancer , cancer research
We report a 72‐year‐old woman who presented with a primary melanoma of the umbilicus and periumbilical skin of 4 years' duration. Pathological examination of a biopsy specimen showed Clark's level IV, and tumour thickness 2.3 mm. The patient underwent preoperative lymphatic mapping followed by sentinel lymph node biopsy, and wide local excision of the primary tumour, including its attachment to the peritoneum. Because of the variations in vascularity and the residual embryonal connections of the umbilicus with the peritoneum and other intra‐abdominal organs, an aggressive surgical approach is recommended in the management of malignant umbilical tumours.