Conjonctival melanoma metastatic to the breast: a case report

Malignant melanoma of the breast: controversies in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of a rare nosologic entity

Melanoma of the breast is an infrequent entity, presenting as either primary or metastatic from extramammary solid neoplasms. Depending on the involvement of the skin, primary malignant melanoma of the breast (PMMB) can be classified as cutaneous or noncutaneous. Cutaneous PMMB accounts for <5% of all melanomas and only 0.5% of all breast cancers. Furthermore, despite the rarity of metastatic breast neoplasms, melanoma comprises a frequent source of metastases. Metastatic potential of melanoma is associated with poor prognosis, and the majority of patients present more than one metastatic foci at the time of diagnosis. Diagnostic approach for both primary and metastatic melanomas of the breast is substantiated by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology along with immunohistochemistry. Nevertheless, verification of a metastatic mammary melanoma requires the discovery of a primary lesion. The mainstay of treatment for primary tumors is surgery, with radical local excision and axillary lymph node dissection or, on occasion, axillary sentinel node resection, while for metastatic tumors it depends on the specificities of the melanoma. Adjuvant therapy is always implemented. The aim of this survey is to meticulously review the literature of primary and metastatic malignant melanomas of the breast and report epidemiologic and clinicopathologic data for this rare entity. Clinical features, histogenesis, morphological, and immunochemical findings are discussed, while the role of current diagnostic and therapeutic management of this uncommon entity is emphasized.

Anorectal melanoma metastatic to the breast: a case report and review of the literature

Melanoma develops from melanocytes and typically occurs on the skin and mucosa with a high degree of malignancy. Intensive local invasion and distant metastasis of melanoma result in poor patient prognosis, owing to frequent metastases to the lungs, bones, brains, and other parts of the body. In the present study, we report a case of anorectal melanoma in a 56-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital because of local recurrence 9 months after local resection. She subsequently underwent radical surgery. Metastasis to the left breast occurred within 4 months after radical surgery. Metastasis of anorectal melanoma to the breast is very rare. In the present case report and literature review, we analyzed the clinical manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of anorectal melanoma metastatic to the breast.

Phyllodes Tumor of the Breast With Malignant Melanoma Component

Phyllodes tumors of the breast display a wide variation in histological appearance and are classified into benign, borderline, and malignant categories based on a combination of histological parameters. These tumors may include a malignant heterologous component that is believed to originate through a process of multidirectional differentiation from a cancer stem cell. In these cases, the tumor is classified as a malignant phyllodes tumor. Among the heterologous elements that have been described in malignant phyllodes tumors are rhabdomyosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, liposarcoma and angiosarcoma. We present the first case of a phyllodes tumor with a malignant melanoma component in the breast of a 71-year-old lady, discussing the clinical implications of this diagnosis.