Round Cell Vaginal Malignant Melanoma: A rare entity

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Dermatology
• Gynecologic Oncology

Background:

• Malignant melanoma typically affects the skin but can rarely occur in extragenital sites.
• Vaginal melanoma is an exceptionally rare clinical diagnosis.
• Round cell pigmented malignant melanoma represents an uncommon histological variant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of round cell pigmented malignant melanoma initially misdiagnosed as a urethral caruncle.
• To discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and poor prognosis associated with malignant vaginal melanoma.
• To highlight the prognostic significance of tumor size in malignant vaginal melanoma.

Main Methods:

• Clinical diagnosis of a suspected urethral caruncle.
• Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining for definitive diagnosis.
• Review of treatment outcomes and survival data for malignant vaginal melanoma.

Main Results:

• The patient was diagnosed with round cell pigmented malignant melanoma via histopathology and immunostaining.
• Despite radiotherapy, the patient died within a year.
• Malignant vaginal melanoma exhibits a poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of 10-20%.
• Tumor size ≥3cm is associated with a poor prognosis.
• Age, mitotic count, stage, and location did not significantly influence survival rates in this context.

Conclusions:

• Malignant vaginal melanoma, particularly the round cell variant, is a rare and aggressive malignancy.
• Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial, although prognosis remains poor.
• Tumor size is a critical prognostic factor, with larger lesions indicating a worse outcome.