A case of malignant melanoma complicated with multiple myeloma

Abstract

A 52 year-old female was admitted to our hospital in August 1982, for a tumor on her left palm, which revealed malignant melanoma by biopsy.The laboratory findings were as follows: the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 56mm/hr. The plasma total protein was 8.0g/dl with monoclonal IgA of 3, 496mg/dl. Bence-Jones protein in the urine and punched out lesions in X-ray film were negative. The bone marrow smear showed 11.7% of atypical plasma cells. A diagnosis of multiple myeloma (IgA, K type) was done.The tumor was resected and treated by DTIC for 5 days. And plasma IgA was reduced to 2, 438mg/dl by the treatment with prednisolone (30mg/dl), cyclophosphamide (50mg/dl) and vincristine (1mg/week).Her 2nd admission to our hospital was in August 1983 with the complaint of the lymph node swelling was which was a metastasis of malignant melanoma at her left axilla. Physical examination disclosed marked hepatomegaly with hepatic dysfunction. Her clinical condition was not improved by OK-432 and prednisolone therapy.The autopsy showed multiple metastasis of malignant melanoma to the various organs and also metastasis to the bone marrows.