title: Nonpigmented metastatic melanoma in a two-year-old girl: a serious diagnostic dilemma.
abstract: Although rare, malignant melanoma may occur in children. Childhood melanomas account for only 0.3-3% of all melanomas. In particular the presence of congenital melanocytic nevi is associated with an increased risk of development of melanoma. We herein report a case of malignant melanoma that developed on a giant congenital melanocytic nevus and made a metastasis to the subcutaneous tissue of neck in a two-year-old girl. The patient was hospitalized for differential diagnosis and treatment of cervical mass with a suspicion of hematological malignancy, because the malignant transformation of congenital nevus was not noticed before. In this case, we found out a nonpigmented malignant tumor of pleomorphic cells after the microscopic examination of subcutaneous lesion. Nonpigmented metastatic melanoma was diagnosed by several immunohistochemical and flow cytometric studies. She was offered palliative chemotherapy; however, her parents did not accept treatment. The patient died within 9 months of diagnosis. We emphasized here that the possibility of malignant melanoma in the differential diagnosis of childhood tumors should be kept in mind.
authors.affiliation: Izmir Tepecik Education and Research Hospital, Pathology Laboratory, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Izmir Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital, Pathology Laboratory and Dermatology Clinics, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tosun Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Izmir Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital, Pathology Laboratory and Dermatology Clinics, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selcen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaci
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Clinics, Izmir Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nur
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9591-0207
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olgun