title: Subungual amelanotic melanoma: a diagnostic pitfall.
abstract: A 35 year old female presented with a persistent amelanotic lesion of the nail bed of the left great toe for 1 year, associated with destruction of the overlying nail. Incision biopsy revealed a nodular malignant melanoma and the toe was amputated. There is no sign of recurrence at 18 month follow-up. As prognosis is related to local disease extent, any persistent nail bed lesion should be biopsied to exclude the possibility of malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, General Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winslet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tejan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014034:Toes