title: [The "red melanoma"--a rare form of amelanotic malignant melanoma].
abstract: The two major variants of amelanotic malignant melanoma are the verrucous and the polypoid forms. A further--albeit rare--red eczematous variety has also been described. We report two female patients with reddish, non-pigmented, scaly lesions on the upper arm and the shoulder that had developed 2 to 3 years previously. One biopsy showed the diagnosis of a melanoma growing in situ while the second revealed a highly atypical melanocytic tumour. However, the histopathological examination of the entire tumour showed a superficial spreading amelanotic malignant melanoma. Therefore, in non-healing erythematous lesions, even without pigmentation or ulceration, the rare differential diagnosis of amelanotic malignant melanoma should be taken in consideration and a biopsy should be performed prior to therapy without histological control.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie der Universität Regensburg.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coras
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hohenleutner
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raff
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landthaler
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hohenleutner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018328:Melanoma, Amelanotic / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy