Primary malignant vaginal melanoma treated with adriamycin and ifosfamide: a case report and literature review.
BACKGROUND
Vaginal melanoma is a very rare but highly malignant gynecological disease, usually diagnosed in postmenopausal woman. The prognosis tends to be poor and it is associated with high rate of recurrence and short survival rates.


METHODS
The following paper describes a case report regarding a 72-year-old woman with a locally advanced malignant melanoma. The previous erroneous histopathological diagnosis was leiomyosarcoma. She underwent chemotherapy with 3 courses of doxorubicin and ifosfamide. The diagnosis of malignant melanoma was obtained after a repeated biopsy and further pathological investigations. She later underwent radical surgery and 2 additional cycles of the same chemotherapy. At present, 7 months after the last cycle, the patient was locally disease-free, but developed brain metastases, requiring chemotherapy treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
In view of poor survival, this chemotherapy regimen may be an interesting alternative to the traditional treatment of vaginal melanoma.
Signorelli
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecology/Oncology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy. maurosignorelli@inwind.it
Lissoni
A A
AA
Garbi
A
A
Perego
P
P
Mangioni
C
C
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D004317:Doxorubicin; D007069:Ifosfamide