Congenital pigment synthesizing melanoma of the scalp

Abstract

The pigment synthesizing melanoma, so-called animal type melanoma, is a rare variant of melanoma that is characterized by prominent melanin production and an unpredictable prognosis. Congenital onset of this melanoma is exceedingly rare. A 2-month-old Korean girl had a black nodule and a satellite black macule on the scalp which were noticed at birth. She received a surgical resection 3 months later because of rapidly growing lesions and the histopathologic features of a pigment synthesizing melanoma. Two months later, she returned with cervical area swelling, and the excised multiple lymph nodes showed metastatic malignant melanoma. The exact origin and pathogenesis of congenital pigment synthesizing melanoma is different from the more common forms of melanoma and remains poorly understood.