title: Primary atypical melanocytoma arising from the cavernous sinus in a child.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary melanocytic lesions of the central nervous system originate from leptomeningeal melanocytes, with a spectrum ranging from well-differentiated benign meningeal melanocytomas to malignant melanomas. Atypical melanocytomas are borderline tumors, which have clinical and pathological characteristics between benign melanocytomas and malignant melanomas. Melanocytomas are rare in children and infrequently arise from the cavernous sinus. Approximately five patients with such an origin site have been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a 15-year-old girl with an atypical melanocytoma arising from the cavernous sinus. She underwent partial resection of the tumor and postoperative gamma knife surgery (GKS). She is stable 39 months after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We discuss the first pediatric case with an intracranial atypical melanocytoma arising from the cavernous sinus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Kyoung
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Yeoun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyu-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Phi
authors.forename: Seung-Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016634:Radiosurgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome