The diagnosis of malignant melanoma (MM) in children is difficult due to its uncommon occurrence as well histological similarities to Spitz nevus. A case of MM of the foot in an 11-year-old boy is reported illustrating the histological overlap between Spitz nevus and MM. In our patient, both the primary foot lesion and the regional inguinal metastases were amelanotic, further increasing the diagnostic difficulty. The literature on MM in children is limited and the documentation of such unusual cases is necessary to improve the knowledge on this disease.
Matched MeSH terms: Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell/pathology*; Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell/surgery
Malignant melanoma is a potentially lethal cutaneous malignancy. Melanoma in paediatrics is rare as compared to adult melanoma. The clinicopathological characteristics of paediatric melanoma are different from adult melanoma, and the presence of melanoma mimics which occurs frequently in children (Spitz naevi) resulted in diagnosis uncertainty. We reported a 9-year-old girl who presented with a slow-growing, pyogenic granuloma-like lesion which was diagnosed with melanoma. It is important to have a high index of suspicion in paediatric skin lesion that would usually be deemed benign. Early tissue biopsy in a suspicious lesion prevents delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Matched MeSH terms: Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell