title: Primary malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac: a case report.
abstract: Malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac is very rare and primary malignant melanoma is extremely rare. It is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage after excision or biopsy of a tumor. We treated a patient with tearing and bloody discharge from the left eye. We performed a dacryocystectomy with the suspicion of a chronic dacryocystitis. However, the pathological findings and the immunohistochemical studies showed a malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac. The patient underwent postoperative irradiation therapy. Follow up two months after surgery revealed no evidence of recurrence. Early diagnosis is very important for prognosis in patients with malignant melanoma of the lacrimal sac. Because this tumor often presents with symptoms similar to dacryocystitis and may masquerade as a chronic dacryocystitis, it can be difficult to make an early diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Kora.
authors.forename: Ji Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Seung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Hyeuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yong Kuk
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Tae Jung
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Keon Uk
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed