Melanoma arising in a Giant congenital melanocytic nevus in early age: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Authors present a case of a 37- year-old young female patient, who presented to the emergency department with transient dizziness. The performed cranial MRI confirmed the presence of a solitary brain metastasis. PET CT revealed an FDG-avid active lesion in the lung, with slightly enlarged lymph nodes. The brain tumor was surgically removed and histologically it corresponded to malignant melanoma metastasis. According to tumor board decision combined immunotherapy was initiated. Dermatological examination revealed that the patient was being treated for a histologically neuro-mixoid-appearing melanoma that developed at 3 months of age from a giant congenital nevus at birth and later metastasized regionally. Multiple radical surgeries were performed and she received vincristine and platina based chemotherapy. She was symptom-, and complaint-free for decades under regular check-ups until the onset of vertigo. In connection with the case the authors discuss the specific features of childhood melanomas, in particular the early-onset forms arising from congenital giant.