Primary malignant melanoma of uterine cervix: a rare entity diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology – report of a case

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma of uterine cervix is a rare neoplasm. Its diagnosis on cervical fine needle aspiration cytology, a first of its kind in the literature, has been reported. Although cervix is a rare site for melanoma, cytopathologists should be familiar with it and be able to diagnose this entity on cervical cytology when pigment containing tumour cells are present. In a patient with visible growth on cervix, fine needle aspiration cytology may prove to be a useful diagnostic tool, especially when cervical smear/scrape cytology is non-diagnostic.

Primary malignant melanoma of uterine cervix with probable origin from benign cervical melanosis

“…These markers were positive even in the clear cell variant of cervical melanoma. Diagnosis by cervical fine-needle aspiration cytology and scrape cytology has also been reported which showed bizarre and abnormal cells containing pigment 11 12…”

Primary malignant melanoma of uterine cervix in a young female - Report of a rare case

“…12 With presence of coarse granular brown black pigment in the tumour cells cytological diagnosis is possible on cervical scrape (Pap) smear or FNAC smear examination from the cervical growth. 11,13 In amelanotic tumours with little or no pigment, diagnosis has to be suspected on the basis of cellular features and confirmed with the help of IHC markers like HMB-45, S100 or Melan A. HMB-45 positivity in conjunction with negativity for epithelial markers and suggestive histomorphology is specific for melanoma 3 . When the tumour is amelanotic with little or no pigment, diagnosis of MM should be considered in differential diagnosis of a poorly differentiated cervical malignancy that also include MPNST, lymphoma, carcinoma and sarcoma.…”

Synchronous cervical and vulvar malign melanomas: metastasis or multifocality of the disease? A case report and review of the literature

“…The patient may be considered as having multifocal disease because a cervical melanoma was detected during her preoperative routine tests. Using the criteria, which were determined by Morris and Taylor in 1966 (5) to diagnose cervical malign melanoma, the disease in our case was diagnosed to be primary vulvar melanoma. Additionally, the absence of metastasis in lymph nodes and in parametrium, the local recurrence taking the pathway of a vulvar metastasis, and the deeper invasion of the vulvar lesion support the diagnosis of vulvar melanoma metastased to the cervix.…”

“…The frequency of malign melanoma occurring in cervix is five times less than in vulva and vagina. Secondary involvement of cervix occurs with local spreading of vaginal or vulvar melanoma or with the hematogenous metastasis of the melanoma that can be in any part of the body and is seen more often (5) .…”