Case Report: Acral Melanoma with Giant Local Recurrence in Rural Sierra Leone

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022 Aug 22;107(4):912-915. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1273. Print 2022 Oct 12.

Abstract

Malignant melanoma is rare in West Africa. Few cases of giant melanoma have been reported globally. We present a case of acral melanoma with giant local recurrence on the foot of a black-skinned woman from rural Sierra Leone, managed with below-knee amputation. Atypical, late presentation, poor access to diagnostics, and underreporting may contribute to underappreciation of melanoma as a healthcare problem in West Africa. This case highlights the need for improved cancer and skin health surveillance structures in West Africa-most importantly, increasing access to histopathology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Africa, Western
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Melanoma* / diagnosis
  • Melanoma* / surgery
  • Melanoma, Cutaneous Malignant
  • Sierra Leone / epidemiology
  • Skin Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Skin Neoplasms* / surgery