TY - JOUR
T1 - Pathologic features of pediatric head and neck melanoma
AU - Tcheung, Win Janet
AU - Nelson, Kelly
AU - Aldabagh, Bishr
AU - Puja, Puri
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Although malignant melanoma is rare in children, its incidence is steadily increasing, and it is potentially lethal. Few studies have examined head and neck melanoma in children, and even fewer have focused on the histopathologic features of melanoma within this anatomic region. To further the understanding of this entity, we examined pathology specimens from nine subjects age 18 years and younger with an original diagnosis of head or neck melanoma. The anatomic locations of these primary melanomas were the face and nose (n = 4), scalp and neck (n = 4), and ear (n = 1). The cases included seven superficial spreading melanomas, one unclassified (possible nodular) melanoma, and one melanoma in situ. No melanomas demonstrating desmoplastic or spindle cell morphologies were noted upon review. Breslow depth ranged from 0 to 2.9 mm (mean 1.3 mm, median 0.6 mm), with Clark level ranging from I to V. Pagetoid scatter was found in eight cases. Other notable features included regression (n = 5), ulceration (n = 1), and associated melanocytic nevus (n = 4). We did not observe any small cell variants; all nine cases had an epithelioid appearance. Nor was any melanoma-associated mortality observed at last follow-up (mean 60.4 mos, median 48 mos, range 2-174 mos). These histopathologic features were consistent with adult-type melanoma, which is in agreement with other histopathologic studies of melanoma in children.
AB - Although malignant melanoma is rare in children, its incidence is steadily increasing, and it is potentially lethal. Few studies have examined head and neck melanoma in children, and even fewer have focused on the histopathologic features of melanoma within this anatomic region. To further the understanding of this entity, we examined pathology specimens from nine subjects age 18 years and younger with an original diagnosis of head or neck melanoma. The anatomic locations of these primary melanomas were the face and nose (n = 4), scalp and neck (n = 4), and ear (n = 1). The cases included seven superficial spreading melanomas, one unclassified (possible nodular) melanoma, and one melanoma in situ. No melanomas demonstrating desmoplastic or spindle cell morphologies were noted upon review. Breslow depth ranged from 0 to 2.9 mm (mean 1.3 mm, median 0.6 mm), with Clark level ranging from I to V. Pagetoid scatter was found in eight cases. Other notable features included regression (n = 5), ulceration (n = 1), and associated melanocytic nevus (n = 4). We did not observe any small cell variants; all nine cases had an epithelioid appearance. Nor was any melanoma-associated mortality observed at last follow-up (mean 60.4 mos, median 48 mos, range 2-174 mos). These histopathologic features were consistent with adult-type melanoma, which is in agreement with other histopathologic studies of melanoma in children.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883853272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883853272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/pde.12153
DO - 10.1111/pde.12153
M3 - Article
C2 - 23627731
AN - SCOPUS:84883853272
SN - 0736-8046
VL - 30
SP - 568
EP - 573
JO - Pediatric Dermatology
JF - Pediatric Dermatology
IS - 5
ER -