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Clinical features and long-term outcomes of primary spinal malignant melanoma: a single center experience

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Abstract

Primary malignant melanomas are very rare tumors in the spinal canal. In this study, the authors review their experience in a series of seven patients with histologically proven primary spinal malignant melanoma (PSMM) and discuss the clinical features, treatment strategy, and long-term outcomes. Clinical data of seven patients with PSMM treated at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. There were three male and four female patients, with a mean age of 44 years. The mean duration of illness was 5.4 months. The tumors showed hyperintensity in six cases on T1-weighted image (WI) and isointensity or hypointensity in five cases on T2WI. Gross total resection (GTR) of the tumor was achieved in two cases, and subtotal resection (STR) was achieved in five cases. Four STR patients underwent postoperative local radiation therapy. Postoperative MRI results showed no tumor recurrence in all four female patients after an average follow-up period of 64.5 months. Three male patients had tumor recurrence and dissemination after postoperative 14.7 months (8–24 months), and all died 16.3 months (10–25 months) after initial diagnosis. PSMM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a middle-aged patient with spinal lesion if the tumor shows hyperintensity on T1WI and hypointensity or isointensity on T2WI on MRI. STR followed by radiotherapy is not excessively associated with deterioration of the final outcome compared to GTR. Our study suggests that PSMM might have female predominance in favorable outcome. Surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and regular follow-up are recommended.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the patients who trusted us and all the physicians and staff who helped in this study.

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Author notes

  1. Liang Wu and Ning Yao have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 6 Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100050, China

    Liang Wu, Jun Yang & Yulun Xu

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ning Yao

  3. Department of Neuropathology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

    Jingyi Fang

Authors
  1. Liang Wu
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  2. Ning Yao
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  3. Jingyi Fang
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  4. Jun Yang
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  5. Yulun Xu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yulun Xu.

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All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee by the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Wu, L., Yao, N., Fang, J. et al. Clinical features and long-term outcomes of primary spinal malignant melanoma: a single center experience. J Neurooncol 135, 513–519 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-017-2593-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-017-2593-7

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