Primary Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Melanoma in the Lower Thoracic Spine

Kathrin Hering; Anke Bresch; Donald Lobsien; Wolf Mueller; Rolf-Dieter Kortmann; Clemens Seidel

doi:10.1155/2016/3815280

Primary Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Melanoma in the Lower Thoracic Spine

Case Rep Oncol Med. 2016:2016:3815280. doi: 10.1155/2016/3815280. Epub 2016 Apr 5.

Authors

Kathrin Hering¹, Anke Bresch², Donald Lobsien³, Wolf Mueller⁴, Rolf-Dieter Kortmann¹, Clemens Seidel¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Leipzig University, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
² Department of Nuclear Medicine, Leipzig University, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
³ Department of Neuroradiology, Leipzig University, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
⁴ Department of Neuropathology, Leipzig University, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.

Abstract

Background Context. Up to date, only four cases of primary intradural extramedullary spinal cord melanoma (PIEM) have been reported. No previous reports have described a case of PIEM located in the lower thoracic spine with long-term follow-up. Purpose. Demonstrating an unusual, extremely rare case of melanoma manifestation. Study Design.

Case report: Methods. We report a case of a 57-year-old female suffering from increasing lower extremity pain, left-sided paresis, and paraesthesia due to spinal cord compression caused by PIEM in the lower thoracic spine. Results. Extensive investigation excluded other possible primary melanoma sites and metastases. For spinal cord decompression, the tumor at level T12 was resected, yet incompletely. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered two weeks after surgery. The patient was recurrence-free at 104 weeks after radiotherapy but presents with unchanged neurological symptoms. Conclusion. Primary intradural extramedullary melanoma (PIEM) is extremely rare and its clinical course is unpredictable.