Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The Trojan congenital melanocytic naevus: harbinger of childhood melanoma: case report and review of the literature

  • Case Report
  • Published:
European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 17-month-old girl presented with a medium-sized congenital melanocytic naevus on the dorsum of the right foot. Histological examination of the excised specimen revealed a malignant melanoma (Breslow thickness 3.2 mm, Clark level IV) in a compound naevus. Wider excision with a 20-mm margin, according to protocol, followed. No metastases were discovered on complete systemic investigation. The patient remains tumour-free, 5 years later. The clinical dilemma posed by the medium-sized melanocytic naevus, in relation to small and large congenital melanocytic naevi is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  1. Ahmed R (1979) Congenital malignant melanoma in a newborn. Indian Pediatr 16:723–725

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Baader W, Kropp R, Trapper D (1992) Congenital malignant melanoma. Plast Reconstr Surg 90:53–56

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Conu A, Nicolescu F, Popescu G (1971) Malignant melanoma developing in intrauterine life. Rom Med Rev 15:41–42

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ishii N, Ichiyama S, Saito S, Kuroswawa T, Nakajima H (1990) Congenital malignant melanoma. Br J Dermatol 124:492–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Kanzler MH (2001) Primary cutaneous malignant melanoma and its precursor lesions: diagnostic and therapeutic overview. J Am Acad Dermatol 45:260–276

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kaplan EN (1974) The risk of malignancy in large congenital nevi. Plast Reconstr Surg 53:421–428

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Koyama T, Murakami M, Nishihara O, Masuda T (1996) Congenital melanoma: a case suggesting rhabdomyogenic differentiation. Pediatr Dermatol 13:389–393

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Naraysingh V, Busby G (1986) Congenital malignant melanoma. J Pediatr Surg 21:81–82

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Otter R et al (2003) Richtlijnen voor diagnostiek en behandeling van het melanoom van de huid. IKN richtlijnen: pp 457–480

  10. Prose NS, Laude TA, Heilman ER, Coren C (1987) Congenital malignant melanoma. Pediatrics 79:967–970

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Quaba AA, Wallace F (1986) The incidence of malignant melanoma (0–15 years of age) arising in “large“ congenital nevocellular nevi. Plast Reconstr Surg 78:174–181

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rhodes AR (1984) The risk of malignant melanoma arising in congenital melanocytic nevi. An argument against the assignment of risk based on size alone. Am J Dermatopathol 6(Suppl):184–188

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Rhodes AR, Wood WC, Sober AJ, Mihm MC Jr (1981) Non-epidermal origin of malignant melanoma associated with a giant congenital nevocellular nevus. Plast Reconstr Surg 67:782–790

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Richardson SK, Tannous ZS, Mihm MC Jr (2002) Congenital and infantile melanoma: review of literature and report of an uncommon variant, pigment-synthesizing melanoma. J Am Acad Dermatol 47:77–90

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Sahin S, Levin L, Kopf AW, Rao BK, Triola M, Koenig K, Huang C, Bart R (1998) Risk of melanoma in medium-sized congenital melanocytic nevi: a follow-up study. J Am Acad Dermatol 39:428–433

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schneiderman H, Wu AY, Campbell WA, Forouhar F, Yamase H, Greenstein R, Grant-Kels JM (1987) Congenital melanoma with multiple prenatal metastases. Cancer 60:1371–1377

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Seigler RS, Golding EM Jr, Rogers C (1997) A child with both congenital fibre type disproportion and giant congenital melanocytic nevi with malignant melanoma. J S C Med Assoc 93:374–376

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Song KY, Song HG, Chi JG, Graham JG (1990) Congenital malignant melanoma. J Korean Med Sci 5:91–95

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Stromberg B (1979) Malignant melanoma in children. J Pediatr Surg 14:465–467

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sweet LK, Connerty HV (1941) Congenital melanoma: report of a case in which antenatal metastasis occurred. Am J Dis Child 62:1029–1040

    Google Scholar 

  21. Swerdlow AJ, English JSC, Qiao Z (1995) The risk of melanoma in patients with congenital nevi: a cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol 32:595–599

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Zaal LH, Mooi WJ, Sillevis Smitt JH, van der Horst CM (2004) Classification of congenital melanocytic naevi and malignant transformation: a review of the literature. Br J Plast Surg 57(8):707–719

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Consensus conference (1984) Precursors to malignant melanoma. JAMA 251(14):1864–1866

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Laboratory for Public Health, Friesland, The Netherlands, for kindly supplying the pictures of the histopathological samples.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. J. van der Biezen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Verschuur, E.C.A., van der Biezen, J.J. & van Wingerden, J.J. The Trojan congenital melanocytic naevus: harbinger of childhood melanoma: case report and review of the literature. Eur J Plast Surg 29, 141–146 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-006-0054-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-006-0054-1

Keywords

Navigation