title: Primary malignant melanoma of the cervical spinal nerve root.
abstract: The authors report on a case of primary malignant melanoma of the 7th cervical spinal nerve root in a 45-year-old woman. Neuro-radiological features of this extra-dural mass were suggestive of a nerve sheath tumor. The lesion underwent total gross resection through the anterolateral approach. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. Histopathological investigation confirmed malignant melanoma. There was no evidence of tumor recurrence or other melanotic lesions on regular follow-up examinations until the postoperative eighth month. When treating a common, benign-looking lesion of the cervical spinal nerve root, surgeons should be aware of the potential to encounter such a malignant tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon-Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Seung-Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Rhim
authors.forename: Deok-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Shin-Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology*