title: Spindle cell amelanotic lesion of the tongue: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
abstract: Melanomas occurring in the tongue are rarer, and when nonpigmented they are often misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. We report a 50-year-old woman who presented with a 3 × 2 cm soft swelling of mucosal color on the right lateral border of the tongue. The patient had multiple recurrences and was treated by radical radiotherapy, was operated thrice and received adjuvant 5 MIU interferon weekly. During the last surgery, she developed multiple cerebral infarcts and died on the fifth postoperative day. Oral amelanotic melanoma is a very aggressive and potential lethal tumor that often presents as diagnostic dilemma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Pathology, IMS, BHU, Varanasi, 221005 India ; SRL, Relegere, Lanka, Varanasi, 221005 India.
authors.forename: Mridula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India ; Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh India.
authors.forename: Umakanth
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Goud
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India.
authors.forename: Devendra Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ravi
authors.affiliation: Pathology, IMS, BHU, Varanasi, 221005 India.
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pandey
keywords: Mucosal; Neoplasm; Spindle cell tumor; Tongue oral