Onkológia 2/2022

Malignant melanoma metastasis mimicking a primary breast tumor

Propose: Malignant melanoma is one of the aggressive cancers with high metastatic potential. Prior to the onset of immunotherapy and targeted treatment, the median overall survival of patients with metastatic malignant melanoma was several months. Melanoma cells spread by the lymphatic and hematogenous routes, infiltrating subcutaneous tissues, regional and distant lymph nodes, and vital organs such as the brain, lungs, and liver. Case: In the case report, we present a rare metastatic breast infiltration and diagnostic difficulties in a 51-year-old patient with a 10-year history of malignant melanoma in the neck. Conclusion: Differential diagnosis between primary and secondary malignancy plays a key role for the right treatment. The initially unfavorable prognosis of metastatic malignant melanoma was fundamentally altered by the discovery of immunotherapy and targeted treatment.

Keywords: malignant melanoma, breast, metastasis, BRAF/MEK inhibitors, immunotherapy