The American journal of surgical pathology
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Am. J. Surg. Pathol. · Oct 1997
Primary melanoma of the lung: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of eight cases.
Primary malignant melanoma of the lung (PMML) is an uncommon neoplasm that may be confused with more conventional types of lung cancer. Although the previously proposed criteria for diagnosis, including the presence of an in situ component, are often difficult to satisfy, this lesion is characterized by a poor prognosis, ultimately leading to patient death. We report eight cases of PMML that presented as solitary, central endobronchial neoplasms, resulting in a picture that closely resembled carcinoid tumor or poorly differentiated non-small-cell carcinoma of the lung. ⋯ Two patients are alive with metastatic disease at 4 and 30 months after surgery, and the eighth patient is alive with no evidence of disease 108 months after surgery at last follow-up. Metastatic melanoma was identified in various sites, including the lungs, adrenal glands, liver, mesentery, brain, and bone. The cases herein presented indicate that PMML should be included in the differential diagnosis of primary bronchial tumors.