Desmoplastic melanoma: a clinico-pathological review

Desmoplastic Melanoma (DM) represents a rare histological variant of melanoma. It has been described in isolated case reports as a cutaneous tumour with a high incidence of local recurrence and nodal metastases, requiring early aggressive surgery. However, overall clinical experience of the tumour is limited. 13 patients with DMM seen over a 20 year period were reviewed. The mean age at presentation was 67 years (range 34-87), and 2/3 of the lesions were in the head and neck. Tumour thickness averaged 5.78 mm (Breslow). 7 patients developed recurrence, 4 as regional nodes, and 3 as skin nodules. Four of these patients developed disseminated disease, of whom 3 died. The mean time to first recurrence was 26 months and mean follow-up time in the review was 40 months (range 3-141 months).