Intravascular metastatic melanoma of the vena saphena magna

Abstract

Only a few cases of blood vessel metastatic melanoma have been reported. We here report the first recorded case, to our knowledge, of intravascular metastatic melanoma of the vena saphena magna. Surgical exploration allowed rapid diagnosis, and histological examination confirmed the intravascular nature of a hematogenous melanoma metastasis. This case clearly illustrates the need for histologic examination of any thrombotic material.

Metastatic melanoma presenting as intravenous tumour thrombus

“…Although melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer with the propensity for lymphatic spread to lymph nodes and haematogenous spread to distant organs, tumour thrombi are rarely reported. Sites of reported venous involvement by metastatic melanoma include the superior vena cava, the inferior vena cava, and the pulmonary, portal, renal, femoral and great saphenous veins 2‐11 . Similarly to our case, most cases presented a number of years after the initial primary cutaneous melanoma.…”

“…Sites of reported venous involvement by metastatic melanoma include the superior vena cava, the inferior vena cava, and the pulmonary, portal, renal, femoral and great saphenous veins. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Similarly to our case, most cases presented a number of years after the initial primary cutaneous melanoma. One case presented as an extension into the inferior vena cava from a primary adrenal melanoma.…”

Intravascular schwannoma: A review of a rare diagnosis

“…An organizing thrombus would have proliferating capillaries and fibrous tissue upon examination 18 . Uncommonly, a metastasis can be considered as an etiology of an intravascular growth, such as an intravascular metastatic melanoma 20 . However, while melanoma would have positive expression of S100 and SOX10, 13 there would be presence of increased mitotic figures and cytological atypia not seen in schwannomas 21 .…”