[A rare pulmonary tumour, primary malignant melanoma].
BACKGROUND
Malignant melanoma most commonly presents as a primary neoplasm of the skin, but has been described in other mucosal sites. Rarely, malignant melanomas have been reported as primary visceral neoplasms, including the lung. Most such lesions have been dismissed as metastases from undocumented or regressed primary cutaneous or ocular melanomas.


METHODS
We report an original observation of an 82-year-old man with a pulmonary nodule presenting with chest pain. The diagnosis of melanoma was established on biopsies carried out under computerized tomography scanning and confirmed after right upper lobectomy two months later.


CONCLUSIONS
Melanomas of the respiratory tract are usually metastatic in origin and a primary melanoma in very rare. Strict criteria must be applied before a diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma of lower respiratory tract can be accepted. Melanoma may be confused with more conventional types of lung cancer and other pigmented tumours.
Saint-Blancard
P
P
Service d'Anatomie et de cytologie pathologiques, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Clamart, France. psbpercy@yahoo.fr
Vaylet
F
F
Jancovici
R
R
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome