Cutaneous melanoma metastatic to uterine adenomyoma: report of a case

Int J Surg Pathol. 2005 Apr;13(2):223-5. doi: 10.1177/106689690501300217.

Abstract

Rare cases of metastasis to uterine polyps have been reported in English literature but not, to the best of our knowledge, to uterine adenomyomas. All these cases are represented by breast cancer, most of them involving tamoxifen-associated polyps. We first report a case of cutaneous malignant melanoma metastatic to uterine adenomyoma. A computed tomography scan did not reveal any further evidence of disease, suggesting that this metastatic localization may represent something more than a fortuitous case. Based on these observations it is suggested that a subset of malignant melanoma and breast cancer cells share a sort of "homing'' phenomenon to polypoid lesions of uterus, due probably to the presence of some chemokines and their specific receptors. Pathologists should be aware of this possibility in order to look carefully for metastatic implants in similar lesions. It is proposed that chemokine profile of neoplastic cells can be a useful tool in predicting metastatic targets.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenomyoma / chemistry
  • Adenomyoma / pathology*
  • Adenomyoma / surgery
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Melanoma / chemistry
  • Melanoma / secondary*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Polyps / chemistry
  • Polyps / pathology*
  • Polyps / surgery
  • Skin Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor