Primary Dermal Melanoma in a 19-Year-Old Asian Man

Abstract

Primary dermal melanoma (PDM) is a distinct subtype of solitary dermal melanoma (SDM) defined as a dermal malignancy confined to the dermis or subcutaneous tissues without an epidermal component and other primary melanomas. It is rarely reported in the literature and has a low incidence rate (<1%) in the population with melanoma and an apparently excellent prognosis. In the Asian population, the incidence is even lower; only one Japanese woman has ever been reported. We report a young Taiwanese man with PDM and review the possible pathogenesis.