Malignant melanoma masqueraded as ingrown toe nail

We report a case in a 62-year-old female who presented with a year history of dull aching pain of the left big toe, which was aggravated by pressure on the nail and relieved by analgesia. Tissue biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. There was a black colour swelling about 3x8 mm in size over the medial side of the dorsum of left big toe with a scar of previous operation. Histopathological examination showed on gross section of 2 blackish area one infiltrate the bone the other the tumour not infiltrate the proximal interphalangial joint with another satellite lesion 20mm from main tumour area was found. Malignant cells were large with abundant cytoplasm, hyperchromatic nuclei and some prominent eosinophilic nucleoli. Melanin pigment was markedly seen. The big toe was amputated. We here highlight a case where the patient was diagnosed and managed as having ingrown nail of the left big toe while in actual fact she had a subungual amelanotic melanoma.