[Generalized melanosis of macro- and microphages in metastasizing melanoma]

A patient suffering from a metastasizing malignant melanoma of the skin developed diffuse melanosis of the skin and melanuria a few weeks before death occurred. At autopsy, disseminated metastases of malignant melanoma were associated with marked melanosis of the organs and particularly of the mononuclear phagocytic system. In addition, neutrophilic granulocytes of the peripheral blood frequently contained melanin granules. The presence of melanin in blood monocytes and granulocytes may be useful for the diagnosis of (metastasizing) malignant melanoma.