Nivolumab as adjuvant treatment for a spinal melanocytoma: A case report

Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare benign melanocytic tumor of the central nervous system. We report for the first time a case of meningeal melanocytoma treated with immunotherapy.

A 70-year-old man with no medical history was admitted to the Emergency Room. He suffered from a motor and sensory deficit in his left lower limb and a bilateral upper arm neuralgia.

A contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed. It showed a C7-T1 bleeding intramedullary tumor. Laminectomy was decided and performed. The results of the pathologic examination showed a melanocytic tumor harboring GNAQ mutation. Meningeal melanocytoma was the final diagnosis.

The patient was treated with 10 radiotherapy sessions and 6 cycles of nivolumab. A year later, the patient experienced neuralgia again with severe pain and an increasing sensory motor deficit. He underwent a second surgery that was incomplete. As the tumor kept growing, he received temozolomide. But the 6th cycle had to be interrupted due to bedsore infection in the hip area.

Disease progression finally led to the patient's death 3 years after diagnosis.

This case report is the first about a patient with meningeal melanocytoma treated with immunotherapy. Treatment based on biomolecular mutations will probably change spinal melanocytoma therapeutic approach in the next few years.