[Malignant melanoma in the child: an uncommon illness]

Abstract

Background: Malignant melanoma are uncommon in children and are sometimes difficult to distinguish from Spitz nevi. Histological diagnosis is particularly difficult.

Case report: Three prepuberty children (aged 14, 10 and 14 years) underwent excision of suspicious nevi found at pathology examination to be malignant melanomas. After complementary treatment the recurrence-free survival has been 18, 14 and 4 years respectively.

Discussion: Clinical signs of malignant melanomas are unspecific. As in adults, any modification in a melanic lesion should led to excision and pathology examination. In the literature, there is often a confusion between malignant melanoma developing in children and young adults making it difficult to determine the prognosis of the childhood disease. Prognosis of cutaneous malignant melanomas is generally good (excluding giant nevi and congenital malignant melanoma).