Primary pulmonary melanoma: Case report and literature review

Primary pulmonary melanoma is a very rare disease, with only 19 cases previ ously reported in the English language literature. These cases suggest that melanoma can arise in the lung as a primary tumor, probably from residual melanoblasts. Primary pulmonary melanoma is frequently endobronchial and of ten manifests with symptoms of cough, hemoptysis, and lobar collapse. Aggre ssive surgical resection, irrespective of lymph node involvement, offers po ssible long-term survival in some patients, The diagnosis of primary pulmon ary melanoma necessitates that both clinical and histologic criteria be ful filled. Herein diagnostic criteria are proposed, and the diagnostic approac h is discussed.