title: Solitary coin lesion in patients with malignant melanoma: an indication for thoracotomy?
abstract: In five patients solitary pulmonary lesions were detected radiographically during routine follow up after malignant melanoma. Surgical removal was done in each case under the tentative diagnosis of metastases. Histologically, two lesions turned out as benign chondroma, one as organized pulmonary infarction and one as bronchogenic carcinoma. Only in one patient was a melanoma metastasis present. The findings underline the usefulness also in malignant melanoma of a surgical approach in suspected solitary pulmonary metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, University Medical School of Graz, Austra.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Jüttner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smolle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pinter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Popper
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Friehs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002812:Chondroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D013908:Thoracotomy