title: Amelanotic malignant melanoma of the uterine cervix diagnosed by cervical smear.
abstract: The melanocytic cells of the cervical epithelium are capable of forming the complete spectrum of melanocytic lesions, from benign lentigines to melanoma. Primary malignant melanoma of the uterine cervix is a rare neoplasm with aggressive behavior. The absence of melanin pigment can lead to misdiagnosis as carcinomas, sarcomas, or lymphoma. Immunohistochemical studies should be used for confirmation. In order to consent the cervix as a primary site, exclusion of any other probable primary sites of melanoma is needed. Here, we present a 61-year-old female patient with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. After cervical smear, diagnosis was confirmed by cervical punch biopsy. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:535-537. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arık
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tufan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Öge
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sare
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabukçuoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ömer Tarık
authors.initials: ÖT
authors.lastname: Yalçın
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özalp
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018328:Melanoma, Amelanotic / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: cervical smear; malignant melanoma; uterine cervix