Melanoma Metastatic (melanoma + metastatic)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Ocular Melanoma Metastatic to Skin: The Value of HMB-45 Staining

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 6 2004
Robert A. Schwartz MD
Background: Cutaneous metastatic disease is an important finding that may represent the first sign of systemic cancer, or, if already known, that may change tumor staging and thus dramatically altered therapeutic plans. Although cutaneous metastases are relatively frequent in patients with cutaneous melanoma, they are less so from ocular melanoma. Objective: To demonstrate the value of HMB-45, staining in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. Methods: The immunohistochemical stain HMB-45 a monoclonal antibody directed against intact human melanoma cells, was employed on a skin biopsy specimen from a cutaneous tumor. Results: HMB-45 staining was positive in the atypical hyperchromatic cells of the deep dermis. Conclusion: HMB-45 may be of value in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. Cutaneous metastatic disease is a somewhat common and extremely important diagnosis. Although cutaneous metastases from cutaneous melanoma are relatively frequent, those from ocular melanomas are less so. Use of histochemical staining, especially the HMB-45 stain, allows confirmation of the diagnosis. [source]


Malignant Melanoma Metastatic to the Breast: An Interdisciplinary Challenge

THE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 4 2004
Sherko Kümmel MD
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


Ocular Melanoma Metastatic to Skin: The Value of HMB-45 Staining

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 6 2004
Robert A. Schwartz MD
Background: Cutaneous metastatic disease is an important finding that may represent the first sign of systemic cancer, or, if already known, that may change tumor staging and thus dramatically altered therapeutic plans. Although cutaneous metastases are relatively frequent in patients with cutaneous melanoma, they are less so from ocular melanoma. Objective: To demonstrate the value of HMB-45, staining in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. Methods: The immunohistochemical stain HMB-45 a monoclonal antibody directed against intact human melanoma cells, was employed on a skin biopsy specimen from a cutaneous tumor. Results: HMB-45 staining was positive in the atypical hyperchromatic cells of the deep dermis. Conclusion: HMB-45 may be of value in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. Cutaneous metastatic disease is a somewhat common and extremely important diagnosis. Although cutaneous metastases from cutaneous melanoma are relatively frequent, those from ocular melanomas are less so. Use of histochemical staining, especially the HMB-45 stain, allows confirmation of the diagnosis. [source]


Mycosis fungoides associated with malignant melanoma and dysplastic nevus syndrome

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
J. A. Pielop MD
Background The increased risk of second malignancies, including nonmelanoma skin cancers, in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients has been well documented. However, relatively few studies of malignant melanoma in CTCL patients have been reported. Methods A database of 250 CTCL patients registered over a 3-year period was searched to identify patients with diagnoses of both mycosis fungoides (MF) and malignant melanoma. Results We identified six cases of MF associated with malignant melanoma and one associated with dysplastic nevus syndrome, which is a marker of increased risk of melanoma. In four patients, melanoma was diagnosed along with or before MF. In the remaining two patients, MF was diagnosed prior to melanoma, although dysplastic nevi were noted at the time MF was diagnosed. These two patients received treatment for their MF (one with topical nitrogen mustard and another with radiation therapy and nitrogen mustard) prior to the histologic confirmation of melanoma. Six patients had early stages of MF (IA or IB), while one patient presented with simultaneous erythrodermic mycosis fungoides involving the lymph nodes as well as melanoma metastatic to the lymph nodes from an unknown primary. Conclusion There is an elevated prevalence of malignant melanoma in MF patients compared to the general US population (P < 0.00001) with a relative risk of 15.3 for observing malignant melanoma in MF patients (95% confidence interval 7.0,33.8). Possible pathologic links between the two diagnoses include effects of mycosis fungoides therapies, immunosuppression secondary to mycosis fungoides, and genetic alterations in the p16 tumor suppressor protein. [source]


Metastatic melanoma to lymph nodes in patients with unknown primary sites

CANCER, Issue 9 2006
Janice N. Cormier M.D., M.P.H.
Abstract BACKGROUND The natural history of metastatic melanoma in lymph nodes in the absence of a known primary site (MUP) has been defined poorly; thus, treatment guidelines for patients with MUP are not clear-cut. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with melanoma (from 1990 to 2001) who underwent surgical resection for melanoma metastatic to regional lymph nodes. Among those patients, 71 patients with MUP and 466 control patients who had regional lymph node metastases of similar stage with a known primary site were identified. Associations between clinicopathologic factors and survival were estimated by using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS After they underwent lymph node dissection, patients with MUP were classified with N1b disease (47%), N2b disease (14%), or N3 disease (39%). With a median follow-up of 7.7 years, the 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 55% and 44%, respectively, for patients with MUP, compared with 42% and 32%, respectively, for the control group (P = .04). In multivariate analyses, age 50 years or older, male gender, and N2b or N3 disease status were identified as adverse prognostic factors, and MUP was identified as a favorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.42,0.86; P = .006) for overall survival. CONCLUSIONS The relatively favorable long-term survival of patients with MUP in the current study suggested that patients with MUP have a natural history that is similar to (if not better than) the survival of many patients with Stage III disease. Therefore, patients with MUP should be treated with an aggressive surgical approach with curative intent and should be considered for Stage III adjuvant therapy protocols. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source]


Expression of polycomb group protein EZH2 in nevi and melanoma

JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 8 2007
Jonathan B. McHugh
Background:, Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a polycomb group protein that regulates the cell cycle, has recently been implicated in the progression of several human cancers. We sought to determine the pattern of EZH2 expression in benign and malignant melanocytic tumors to see if EZH2 might play a role in melanoma pathogenesis and progression. Methods:, We identified and reviewed 11 compound nevi, 13 dysplastic nevi, 13 Spitz nevi, 9 in situ melanomas, 10 non-metastatic invasive melanomas and 19 melanomas metastatic to lymph nodes from the University of Michigan pathology archives. Sections immunostained with anti-EZH2 antibody were scored independently and blindly for staining intensity on a scale of 1,4 by three dermatopathologists. Results were analyzed and compared statistically. Results:, We observed an incremental increase in EZH2 expression from benign nevi to melanoma: scores of 1.18 and 1.08 for ordinary and dysplastic nevi, 1.7 and 1.78 for Spitz nevi and in situ melanoma, and 1.9 and 3.0 for invasive and metastatic melanoma, respectively. EZH2 expression for metastatic melanoma was significantly higher compared with invasive and in situ melanoma and benign nevi (p , 0.01). Conclusions:, EZH2 protein levels increase incrementally from benign nevi to melanoma, which suggests that EZH2 may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of melanoma. [source]