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Intrathymic Localization of Melanoma: A Brief Report of Two Cases and a Review of the Literature

Authors :
Giorgio Cannone
Vincenzo Verzeletti
Francesco Fortarezza
Federica Pezzuto
Roberta Polverosi
Eleonora Faccioli
Giovanni Maria Comacchio
Andrea Dell’Amore
Federico Rea
Marco Schiavon
Fiorella Calabrese
Source :
Diagnostics, Vol 13, Iss 12, p 2017 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Intrathymic localizations of melanoma represent a very rare entity, with fewer than ten cases of intrathymic melanoma described in the literature. Herein, we describe two cases of patients who underwent surgical removal of a thymic mass at our thoracic surgery department between 2015 and 2022. The final pathological examination revealed a malignant melanoma in both cases; we therefore carried out a literature review to identify such rare and similar cases. In the first case, the intrathymic localization of melanoma was the first manifestation of the disease, posing a dilemma regarding the metastatic and primitive nature of the neoplasm. The second case described a thymic metastasis from a known previous cutaneous melanoma, for which the patient had successfully been treated six years earlier. After carefully reviewing the literature, we identified only six cases of verified primary intrathymic melanomas and one case of intrathymic metastasis resulting from melanoma previously described. Pathologists should be aware of the occurrence of this rare entity and mindful of the differential diagnoses. Several tools, including immunostaining of melanocytic markers and molecular investigations, are mandatory for final pathological diagnosis.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20754418
Volume :
13
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Diagnostics
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.bcabf7c5c1ea4a66a2700d3440d2eec2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13122017