title: Very late cerebral metastasis from malignant melanoma.
abstract: The appearance of cerebral metastases of malignant melanoma (MM) more than 10 years after the primary diagnosis is extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with a solitary brain metastasis of MM who came to our observation 11 years after the treatment of the cutaneous lesion. This patient, who up until then had appeared disease free, presented with two episodes of intracranial haemorrhage in a 5-month period. Neuroradiological findings (CT, MRI, angiogram) did not suggest a brain metastasis. The correct diagnosis was reached only after histopathological examination of the surgically removed lesion. On the basis of this experience, we stress the importance of a long-term clinical and radiological follow-up of all patients with MM.
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery