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Primary spinal melanoma: A case report
Serhat Cömert1, Hasan Özgür Özdemir2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Yenimahalle Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Neurocirugia (English Edition)
|February 14, 2021
Summary
Primary spinal cord melanoma, a rare condition, was diagnosed in a young woman with arm pain. Surgical removal of the cervical spinal cord tumor was successful, with the patient recovering well.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Primary spinal cord melanoma is an exceptionally rare diagnosis, constituting only 1% of all melanocytomas.
- Melanomas typically arise in the skin, making spinal cord involvement exceedingly uncommon.
Observation:
- A 26-year-old female presented with left arm pain, prompting medical investigation.
- Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a tumor at the C2-C3 level, compressing the spinal cord.
- Intraoperative findings revealed a blackish-brown neoplastic mass exerting pressure on the spinal cord.
Findings:
- Surgical excision of the primary cervical spinal cord melanoma was performed.
- No evidence of metastatic disease was detected at the time of diagnosis or surgery.
- The patient remained alive and showed positive recovery six months post-operation.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses in the differential for spinal cord compression.
- Successful surgical management of primary spinal cord melanoma offers a potential treatment pathway.
- Further research into the etiology and optimal treatment strategies for this rare tumor is warranted.
