Melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma on different nails of the same hand.
Nail dyschromia, including melanonychia and erythronychia, encompasses a wide range of possible diagnoses. While the majority of these lesions are benign, malignancies of the nail unit represent a sinister, and potentially life-threatening, cause of nail dyschromia. Unfamiliarity with tumors of the nail apparatus can lead to a delay in diagnosis. A case is presented of a patient with two separate and concurrent malignant neoplasms of the nail unit, on different nails on the same hand, each featuring an unusual clinical presentation: amelanotic melanoma presenting as longitudinal erythronychia and squamous cell carcinoma in situ presenting as longitudinal melanonychia. This presentation underscores the need for a low threshold for biopsy in the presence of nail dyschromia of uncertain etiology.
Harwood
Michael
M
Department of Dermatology, Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Telang
Gladys H
GH
Robinson-Bostom
Leslie
L
Jellinek
Nathaniel
N
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018328:Melanoma, Amelanotic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015580:Mohs Surgery; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery