CONNECTIVE-TISSUE TUMORS IN PATIENTS WITH CUTANEOUS MELANOMA

Background: A possible relation between cutaneous melanoma and connect ive tissue tumors has been described. Objective: After the observation that a group of our patients had both cutaneous melanoma and a soft t issue sarcoma, we elected to review this formally. Eleven patients wit h both diagnoses were identified and are described. Methods: A compute r search through the Medical Records Department and the Tumor Registry of the Massachusetts General Hospital identified seven men and four w omen with the diagnoses of melanoma and malignant bone or soft tissue sarcoma. The medical records and pathology specimens of all tumors wer e reviewed. Results: In three patients, the two tumors were diagnosed within 1 year of each other, in seven, the diagnosis of melanoma was m ade first, and in one, melanoma was diagnosed after the connective tis sue lesion. The interval between the two diagnoses ranged up to 13 yea rs. Although the locations and types of melanoma were typical, some of the connective tissue tumors were unusual; there were two sacral chor domas. In two instances, the melanoma and connective tissue tumor were anatomically close; the sarcoma developed at the edge of the resectio n of the prior melanoma in one patient. None of the tumors developed i n previously irradiated tissues, and in no instance did the second tum or appear to be caused by the therapy received for the first. None of the patients had a family history of melanoma. Four patients had other cancers in addition to the melanoma and connective tissue tumor. Conc lusion: Although these patients were seen in a referral center, it is our impression (based on the total number of patients with connective tissue tumors seen and the incidence of melanoma in the general popula tion) that observing 11 patients with both types of tumors is greater than would be expected by chance.