Primary cervical melanoma with brain metastases. Case report and review of the literature.
Primary intramedullary melanoma is a very rare tumor that occurs most frequently in the middle or lower thoracic spinal cord. The authors present a case of primary cervical cord melanoma that developed in a 62-year-old man who was surgically treated and subsequently underwent radiation therapy. Clinical and histogenetic features of this neoplasm and results of chemo-. radio-, and immunotherapy are reported. Both "dysembryogenetic" and "mesodermal" hypotheses on the origin of primary spinal melanoma are discussed.
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy. fsalp@mail.eniware.it
F M
FM
Salpietro
C
C
Alafaci
O
O
Gervasio
G
G
La Rosa
A
A
Baio
D C
DC
Francolini
D
D
Batolo
F
F
Tomasello
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals