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Case Reports
. 2024 Jun;116(3):144-152.
doi: 10.32074/1591-951X-980.

Melanoma of the external auditory canal: case report and systematic literature review

Marco Demattè  1 , Carlotta Liberale  2 , Anna Bonsembiante  1 , Marco Bottazzoli  1 , Alessandro Ioppi  1 , Alessandro La Boria  1 , Alessandra Marcantoni  1 , Pietro Perotti  1 , Raffaele Rosaia  2 , Vittorio Torta  1 , Maria Grazia Zorzi  3 , Ottavio Piccin  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Melanoma of the external auditory canal: case report and systematic literature review

Marco Demattè et al. Pathologica. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Melanoma of the external auditory canal (EAC) is particularly rare and poorly understood, with limited available data on management and survival. This systematic review aims to analyze existing data and provide insights into the management and prognosis the beginning of EAC melanoma. It is conducted using Pubmed and Scopus databases from the beginning to July 2023 and it follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Searches are performed using the search string "(melanoma) AND (external auditory canal)".

The review includes a total of 30 patients diagnosed with EAC melanoma, supplemented by an additional case from the authors' clinical experience. The role of Breslow thickness as a determining factor for the choice of surgery remains inconclusive due to limited available data. Sentinel lymph node biopsy and adjuvant therapy are sparingly employed, indicating the need for standardized guidelines. Patients in the study demonstrate a 50% overall survival rate at 5 years.

EAC Melanoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic guidelines. Surgical interventions, including wide local excision and lateral temporal bone resection, are the primary treatment options for patients without distant metastases.

Keywords: ear’s melanoma; external auditory canal; melanoma; skull base surgery; surgery for melanoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Coronal CT scan showing a polypoid formation (*) measuring 9 mm adherent to the anterior wall of the external auditory canal, without any evidence of bone erosion.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Axial MRI with contrast, showing a solid neoformation with contrast-enhancement (*) measuring approximately 12 mm at the level of the left external auditory canal, with no associated bone changes.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Histologic report showing nodular melanoma arising in dermal nevus, consisting of large pleomorphic atypical cells (on the left side). The neoplastic nodule has a maximum depth of 5 mm in the dermis. Epidermal surface appears normal (on the right side).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Paper selection process.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Kaplan-Meier survival curve.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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