Primary malignant melanoma: a rare cause of mediastinal mass

Abstract

A 50-year-old male underwent surgery for infective aortic valve endocarditis, which had been refractory to medical treatment. The valve was bicuspid, and involvement of the annular and subannular structures was recognized. A large suppurative discharge was obtained on incising this portion. Although there was no interventricular shunt, the abscess cavity was revealed to extend through the epicardial surface of the right atrioventricular groove. Following extensive debridement and irrigation, the defect was closed by an autologous pericardial patch. A 23 mm mechanical valve was implanted placing some of the stitches deep into the muscular interventricular septum. Infection was controlled by six-week administration of cefazolin sodium and gentamicin sulfate, and the patient survived.

Primary malignant melanoma of the thymus: report of a case

“…although most common in the skin, it can also occur in mucosal sites, such as the oral cavity, paranasal sinuses, esophagus, larynx, vagina and the anorectal region [1]. primary malignant melanoma of the anterior mediastinal region is extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases having been reported so far [2,3]. among them, three cases were reported as primary thymic malignant melanomas [4].…”

“…In the reports of primary malignant melanoma of the mediastinum in adults [3], the prognosis was unfavorable. There is currently no consensus regarding the approach to adjuvant therapy.…”

Malignant Melanoma Presenting as Superior Mediastinal Mass without Extrathoracic Primary Melanoma

“…They can frequently metastasize to the liver, lung, brain and bone before the primary lesion in the skin is clinically evident (1). Here, we report a case of malignant melanoma representing superior mediastinal mass without extrathoracic primary lesion.…”

Primary retroperitoneal malignant melanoma: A case report

“…However, no other sites showed evidence of tumor or nevus, thus confirming the retroperitoneum as the primary site of involvement. Melanoma is thought to arise where melanocytes reside, including the sympathetic chain, which originates from the neural ectoderm, as well as the autonomic ganglion cells (7). A few cases of malignant melanoma have been reported to occur in the posterior mediastinum, derived from the melanocytes scattered in the sympathetic chain and autonomic nerve plexuses (7)(8)(9).…”

“…Melanoma is thought to arise where melanocytes reside, including the sympathetic chain, which originates from the neural ectoderm, as well as the autonomic ganglion cells (7). A few cases of malignant melanoma have been reported to occur in the posterior mediastinum, derived from the melanocytes scattered in the sympathetic chain and autonomic nerve plexuses (7)(8)(9). We postulate that the tumor of the current patient also originated from the sympathetic chain or autonomic nerve plexuses of the retroperitoneum, which potentially connected to its counterpart in the mediastinum.…”