Malignant melanoma of the parotid gland: a case report and literature review

Primary Amelanotic Malignant Melanoma of the Parotid Gland: A Case Report

“…2,3 The present case fulfils these criteria and so the diagnosis of a primary tumour is reasonable. Furthermore, the present case also had the clinical and pathological hallmarks of AMM, which accounts for 1.8 -8.1% of all malignant melanomas.…”

Parotid melanoma of unknown primary

“…Theoretically, PMUP could arise from Years of diagnosis, range 2008-2014 1999-2012 1980-2011 1997-2009 Site either a regressed CHNM with parotid metastases or from a primary parotid melanoma (Woodwards et al 1993). The spontaneous regression of melanoma, resulting from autoimmune tumor surveillance, is well documented and may explain the lack of an evident primary site in patients with PMUP (Cooper et al 1985;High et al 2005).…”

“…Alternatively, melanin-containing cells and melanocytes have been identified within the parotid parenchyma, and the presence of these ectopic melanocytes could result in a primary parotid melanoma (Greene and Bernier 1961;Takeda 1997;Woodwards et al 1993). The presence of rare melanocytes in the parotid gland is typically explained by its development from invaginating oral epithelium, which is known to contain melanoblasts (Greene and Bernier 1961;Takeda 1997).…”

“…Rarely, melanoma is diagnosed in the parotid parenchyma or parotid LNs without an identifiable primary site; this could result from either a regressed CHNM with parotid metastases or from a primary parotid melanoma derived from ectopic melanocytes within the parotid parenchyma (Greene and Bernier 1961;Takeda 1997;Woodwards et al 1993). Melanoma of unknown primary (MUP) is defined as melanoma that is histologically confirmed in a secondary location, such as LNs or a visceral organ, without a history or evidence of a primary site (Dasgupta et al 1963;Kamposioras et al 2011).…”

Primitive Malignant Melanoma of the Parotid Gland

“…Primitive melanoma of the parotid is extremely rare [3], characterized by a difficult and often late diagnosis and classification [4]. Takeda [5] found melanocytes in the interlobular duct of the parotid gland during an autopsy performed on a Japanese male; melanocytes derive embryologically from the neural crest and do not usually form part of the salivary tissue [6].…”