RARE METASTASES OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA

• Published in: Acta Medica Medianae Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 58 - 62
• Main Authors: Trenkić-Božinović, Marija, Katić, Vuka, Nagorni, Aleksandar, Bašić, Marin, Trenkić, Milan, Đinđić, Nataša
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University in Nis, Faculty of Medicine 15-09-2014
• Subjects: histopathology; immunohistochemistry; localization; malignant melanoma; metastases
• ISSN: 0365-4478; 1821-2794
• DOI: 10.5633/amm.2014.0310

Melanomas are malignant neoplasms that originate from melanocytes. The most common are on the skin and mucous membranes. Choroidal melanomas are quite different from cutaneous melanomas with regard to presentation, metastases, and treatment. We report two cases of metastatic gastric malignant melanoma of the eye and skin, with reference to the literature. The first patient was a woman aged 23 years, who underwent gastrectomy 22 months after enucleation of the eye due to malignant choroid melanoma. The second patient was a man, 72 years old, who underwent surgery 28 months before because of malignant melanoma of the skin of the forehead. Paraffin sections, 4 μm thick were stained using a classic method, as well as immunohistochemical DAKO APAAP method, using a specific S - 100 antibody and Melan A antibodies. The stomach is considered a rare place for the development of metastases. Metastases in the stomach are often limited to the submucosal as well as the serousmuscular layer, as noted in one of our patients. Metastatic melanoma of the gastrointestinal tract should be suspected in any patient with a history of malignant melanoma and new gastrointestinal symptoms. Because of the similarity between certain common histopathological types of malignant melanoma, primarily achromatic, and types of primary cancers of the stomach, the following immunohistochemical studies are needed: Melan A and S - 100 protein ( markers of malignant melanoma ), as well as mucins: MUC5AC, MUC2 and CDX2 ( markers of different types of primary gastric carcinoma).