UTERINE METASTASIS FROM VULVAR MALIGNANT-MELANOMA - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma is the second most common vulvar malign ancy. The superficial inguinal lymph nodes are the main site of metast ases. Endometrial metastasis of vulvar malignant melanoma has not been previously reported. CASE: Vulvar malignant melanoma was diagnosed in a 60-year-old, postmenopausal woman. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for vimentin and S-100 protein and negative for HMB-45. Six m onths following vulvectomy, right inguinal lymphadenectomy and immunot herapy, curettage teas performed due to postmenopausal bleeding. Histo logic and immunohistochemical examinations revealed metastatic maligna nt melanoma with the same staining reactivity as the primary vulvar ne oplasm had. Hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was perfo rmed, disclosing invasion of the endometrium and the inner two thirds of the myometrium. CONCLUSION: Only 10 other cases of endometrial meta stases from malignant melanoma have been previously reported. All thos e cases involved a primary tumor occurring in the trunk and extremitie s. This is presumably the first report on endometrial and myometrial m etastases from vulvar malignant melanoma.