Cystic metastatic lymph nodes in malignant melanoma: a case report

Melanoma is a rare type of skin cancer with a high mortality rate. Local invasion and metastatic spread are primarily responsible for the morbidity and mortality of melanoma. While metastatic lesions vary from cystic to solid, cystic metastases can be challenging to diagnose. Up to date, there are only a few published studies that describe cystic metastases in melanoma and other conditions such as lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid papillary carcinoma. We describe a case of cystic metastatic axillary lymph nodes in a patient with subungual acral lentiginous melanoma and the challenges to reaching an accurate diagnosis.