Cutaneous sarcoidosis in a melanoma scar: A case report

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory multisystemic disease of unknown etiology with multiple presentations of cutaneous lesions. It characteristically infiltrates scars due to several kind of trauma such as surgery, tattoo and even herpes zoster. We present a case of a 65-year-old woman with progressive distal paresthesia and motor weakness. She was referred to our dermatology clinic for a new violaceous nodular plaque within an old melanoma scar on the posterior neck. On positron emission tomography–computed tomography, there were multiple enlarged thoracic lymphadenopathy and a fluorodeoxyglucose-avid cutaneous lesion on the posterior neck, right in the melanoma scar. Cutaneous and nerve biopsies showed non-necrotising granulomas, supporting the diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis and excluding melanoma recurrence with metastasis. It is the first case of cutaneous sarcoidosis arising within a melanoma scar. Interestingly, patients with melanoma have a higher risk of sarcoidosis.

Cutaneous Sarcoidosis in Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Release Scars

“…Demirkök et al described scar sarcoidosis of a thyroidectomy scar 17 years after the procedure 7 . Scar sarcoidosis was also reported within the site of a previous melanoma scar 4 years after the procedure, as described by Fournier et al 8 . Our patient developed cutaneous manifestations 5 years after initial diagnosis without recurrence of systemic involvement to date.…”

The emerging role of inorganic elements as potential antigens in sarcoidosis

“…Several studies identified inorganic agents in tissue of sarcoidosis patients. Based on the observation that sarcoidosis can be seen in tattooed areas and scars [13,14], Colboc et al studied biopsies of cutaneous sarcoidosis patients for the presence of inorganic deposits in granulomatous areas [15]. Using polarized light, birefringent material was observed in granulomas of 5 out of 14 sarcoidosis patients, whereas birefringent material or inorganic deposits were not observed in any of the included controls.…”