Open AccessAmelanotic melanoma presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy
Author(s) -
Abhishek Karnwal,
Edward Hadjihannas,
Ali M. Sherif,
Simon Grumett,
Sudha Karnwal,
John Mathews
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr.06.2008.0101
Subject(s) - medicine , cervical lymphadenopathy , neck mass , amelanotic melanoma , cervical lymph nodes , melanoma , mediastinal lymphadenopathy , dysphagia , radiology , radiation therapy , lymph , weight loss , surgery , pathology , metastasis , biopsy , cancer , disease , obesity , cancer research
We present a rare case of an amelanotic melanoma of unknown primary presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy. A 20-year-old man presented with large left sided neck lump, associated dysphagia and weight loss. Examination revealed a hard mass in the left posterior triangle of neck and sacral sensory loss. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the mass suggested a poorly differentiated carcinoma. Computed tomography showed a left sided, 8×13 cm cervical mass with liver, lung and bony metastases. Histological examination of the lymph nodal mass confirmed the diagnosis of a metastatic amelanotic melanoma. The patient was treated with glucocorticoids, radiation therapy for the sacral bony deposit, and chemotherapy. Despite an initial reduction of his target lesions, his condition subsequently deteriorated and he died 4 months after diagnosis.