[An autopsy case of neurocutaneous melanosis associated with intracerebral malignant melanoma]

Abstract

The authors reported the clinical course and the postmortem examination of a unique case of neurocutaneous melanosis with numerous anomalies and complications, which included congenital dislocation of lenses, hypogonadism, ectopia of prostatic duct, genuine phimose, retentio testis, psina bifida and neurogenic bladder. This 13-year-old boy with a large hairy nevus in a bathing trunk configulation and multiple small nevi over the whole body since his birth was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of headache and vomiting. Neurological examination showed bilateral papilledema and slight left hemiparesis. A CT scan revealed a large right frontal mass and craniotomy was performed with subtotal removal of this tumor which was confirmed as a malignant leptomeningeal melanoma. He initially made uneventful postoperative recovery, and two courses of chemotherapy with DTIC, ACNU and VCR were given; however, the currence of brain tumor ensued shortly thereafter, and he died in approximately six months after the onset of intracranial symptoms despite of the third course of chemotherapy. Thirty five cases of neurocutaneous melanosis associated with or without malignant melanoma have been reported in Japan. Twenty-eight cases were male and 7 female. Two cases showed the evidence of primary malignant melanoma outside of the central nervous system, whereas twenty eight leptomeningeal melanoma, in which 22 were solid and 6 diffuse, were shown intracranially. Other 5 cases had epileptic seizure and/or hydrocephalus caused by wide spreaded leptmeningeal melanosis. This high incidence of intracranial malignant melanoma in this disorder was remarkable compaired with the previous reports in other countries. Mean duration between deaths and the onset of symptoms of intracranial hypertension or focal neurological signs was 7 months, ranging from 1 to 24 months, showing the rapidly deteriorating course in this disorder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)