A Case of Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Vagina

Park, Byung Joon; Yoon, Joo Hee; Lee, Hye Yong; Lee, Sung Hwan; Han, Ku Teak; Ryu, Ki Sung; Lee, Ah Won; Shim, Sang In

Abstract

Primary melanoma of the vagina is rare, accounting for 2.6-2.8% of all primary malignant tumor of the vagina and 0.4-0.8% of all malignant melanomas in the female. Melanocytes are the presumed precursors of malignant melanoma of the vagina; they are embryologically derived from neural crest cells and can be found in the basal portion of the vaginal epidermis in 3% of normal adult females. Though malignant melanoma may occur anywhere in the vagina, it is most commonly found on the anterior wall and in the distal one-third. Vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom. Histochemical and immunohistochemical procedures confirm the initial diagnosis. Vaginal melanoma is a highly malignant disease; due to the extensive lymphatic invasion and melanoma's propensity for hematogeneous spread, so early metastases are very common. The treatment modalities for the primary management of vaginal melanoma are varied according to the location and extend, individually or in combination, wide local incision, radical surgical extirpation, irradiation, or chemotherapy. Although there have been no consensus as to comprehensive treatment, in the case of upper vaginal melanoma, radical abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection is generally advocated. Regardless of primary therapy chosen, result of the treatment of vaginal melanoma has been uniformly poor. We experienced a case of malignant melanoma of the vagina confirmed pathohistologically after radical abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and presented with a brief review of literature.