Bilateral cerebellopontine angle metastatic melanoma: a case report

Although melanoma accounts for approximately 1% of all malignancies, melanoma metastases to the cerebellopontine angles (CPAs) are exceedingly rare. Here we describe a patient with melanoma metastases to the internal auditory canals and CPAs who presented with a remote history of cutaneous melanoma. This patient had a rapidly progressive hearing loss, vestibulopathy, and facial nerve dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated bilateral, enhancing CPA lesions but was otherwise nonspecific. The diagnosis required a careful history, unilateral surgical resection for tissue acquisition, and histopathologic confirmation. A search for primary cutaneous melanoma at the time of presentation was negative. However, the history of cutaneous melanoma 8 years earlier distinguishes this patient's metastatic disease from solitary primary intracranial melanoma, an equally rare disease. Treatment consists of surgical excision, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The prognosis for patients with melanoma metastases is generally poor, but isolated reports of long-term survival have been described. Metastatic disease to the CPAs must be included in the differential diagnosis for any patient presenting with rapid-onset VIIth or VIIIth cranial nerve symptoms.