Prognostic Indicators in Melanoma of the Vulva

Raspagliesi, Francesco; Ditto, Antonino; Paladini, D.; Fontanelli, Rosanna; Stefanon, B; DiPalma, Silvana; Palo, Giuseppe De

doi:10.1007/s10434-000-0738-x

Cited by 54 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Contrary to melanomas of the skin, the Clark level and Breslow index cannot be used for prognostic evaluation in mucous membrane melanomas, since there are no analogous structures in mucosal epithelia which correspond to structures in the skin, i. e. granular cell layer or papillary/reticular dermis [12]. However, there seems to be a correlation between prognosis and depth of invasion in extracutaneous melanoma as well [12][13][14]. Histopathologically, the tumors display epithelioid, spindled, pleomorphic, small blue cell, or myxoid patterns [15].…”

Section: Primary Melanoma Of the Mucous Membranesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Up to the 1980s more radical procedures (radical vulvectomy, radical vaginectomy, bilateral inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy) were performed and recommended [33,36,37]. Since then, several groups have found no advantage of radical surgery regarding overall survival, locoregional control or distant control compared to wide local excision with clear margins, although this may be curative in thin lesions only [14,17,35,36,38,39]. However, when primary melanomas of the vagina or vulva spread to the urethra or rectum it may be necessary to perform an anterior (extirpation of the vaginal wall, the uterus, the adnexa and the bladder, but leaving the rectum) or posterior (removal of the uterus, the posterior vaginal wall and the rectum) exenteration, whereas additional hysterectomy has been recommended when the melanoma is in the upper third of the vagina [33].…”

Section: Melanoma Of the Female Genitaliamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meanwhile, the overall 5-year survival rate for cutaneous melanoma in Germany is reported at 81% [2]. Sig-nificant predictors of survival of mucosal melanomas of the female genitalia are tumor thickness, clinical stage (including lymph node status), ulceration of the tumor and amelanosis [14,17,36,38]. The mainstay of therapy again is surgical excision, although much debate exists regarding the extent of resection needed to obtain local control.…”

Section: Melanoma Of the Female Genitaliamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Primary Extracutaneous Malignant Melanoma: A Comprehensive Review with Emphasis on Treatment

et al. 2004

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Extracutaneous malignant melanomas (EMM) require special consideration in the field of oncology due to their rareness and – depending on the localization – the frequency of late diagnosis with consecutive poor prognosis. Only 4–5% of all primary melanomas do not arise from the skin. Most frequently they originate from the mucous membranes lining the respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary tracts or in the eyes as well as in the cerebral meninges. Extracutaneous melanomas are considered to be biologically more aggressive than cutaneous melanomas. The Clark level and Breslow index used for evaluation of cutaneous melanomas are not applicable to EMM and, at present, there are no consistent, internationally accepted therapy standards for this form of the disease. For this reason, this review focuses primarily on the literature pertaining to therapeutic strategies as well as epidemiologic, biological, and diagnostic aspects of this disease.

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Section: Primary Melanoma Of the Mucous Membranesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Melanoma Of the Female Genitaliamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Melanoma Of the Female Genitaliamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Primary Extracutaneous Malignant Melanoma: A Comprehensive Review with Emphasis on Treatment

et al. 2004

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“…Still, not all melanomas fit the ABCD rule. Melanomas are characteristically black in color, however there are amelanotic melanomas that are not pigmented and can be confused with the usual squamous cell cancer 13 . The evolution and application of staging for vulvar melanoma, with far fewer numbers of patients, has lagged behind that of cutaneous melanoma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vulvar Melanoma- A Case Report and Short Literature Review

Tayade

Shivkumar

et al. 2012

Int J of Biomed & Adv Res

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Malignant melanomas of the vulva and vagina are rare tumors located in areas of the body not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. It is the second most common vulvar malignancy but represents less than 1% of all melanomas. Because the overall prognosis is poor, it represents a significant issue in women's health. Because of the inherent difficulty in performing large studies of vulvar melanoma, many questions about the biology, etiology, risk factors, and optimal management remain unanswered. Research for vulvar cancer is ongoing. We are presenting here a case report and short literature review of the case

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“…Most of these lesions are black or gray-black in color and some are amelanotic [85]. The average time from onset of symptoms to first presentation for medical care is approximately 4 months [86]. Multiple staging systems have been proposed for patients with MMFG [87][88][89][90].…”

Section: Malignant Melanomas Of the Female Genital Tract Case Vignettementioning

confidence: 99%

Mucosal Melanomas: A Case-Based Review of the Literature

2010

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After completing this course, the reader will be able to:1. Differentiate mucosal melanoma from cutaneous melanoma and describe its etiology, molecular features, and treatment approaches in surgical, radiation, and medical oncology.2. Evaluate mucosal melanoma patients with non-metastatic disease for adjuvant radiation to optimize treatment of the primary tumor.3. Refer appropriate patients for testing for c-KIT mutations and gene aberrations in order to avoid subjecting them to chemotherapy with minimal benefit.This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com. CME CME ABSTRACTMucosal melanoma is a rare cancer that is clearly distinct from its cutaneous counterpart in biology, clinical course, and prognosis. Recent studies have shown important differences in the frequencies of various genetic alterations in different subtypes of melanoma. Activating mutations in the c-KIT gene are detected in a significant number of patients with mucosal melanoma. This observation has resulted in the initiation of several clinical trials aimed at exploring the role of receptor tyrosine kinases that inhibit c-KIT in this patient population. We herein present a comprehensive literature review of mucosal melanoma along with case vignettes of a number of pertinent cases. We further discuss melanomas of the head and neck, the female genital tract, and the anorectum, which are the three most common sites of mucosal melanoma, with a particular focus on the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic data available in the literature. The Oncologist 2010;15:772-781

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Prognostic Indicators in Melanoma of the Vulva

Abstract: The number of positive lymph nodes represents the strongest prognostic factor in melanoma of the vulva. Because of the lack of effective adjuvant therapies, such prognostic indicators might be used to define the timing and extent of the surgical approach.

Cited by 54 publications

References 28 publications

Primary Extracutaneous Malignant Melanoma: A Comprehensive Review with Emphasis on Treatment

Primary Extracutaneous Malignant Melanoma: A Comprehensive Review with Emphasis on Treatment

Vulvar Melanoma- A Case Report and Short Literature Review

Mucosal Melanomas: A Case-Based Review of the Literature

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