Primary Malignant Melanoma Arising in an Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratoma - A Case Report and Literature Review -

Abstract

Malignant melanoma involving the ovary is uncommon. Most of the reported ovarian malignant melanomas are metastatic, and only 44 cases are primary. Teratoid elements must be identified in the ovary for the diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma because ovaries normally do not contain melaninproducing cells. However, it is challenging to assess the primary site of ovarian malignant melanoma because it is almost always found in an advanced state, replacing entire ovarian structures, and this makes it difficult to determine whether the lesion is a primary ovarian melanoma. Mature cystic teratoma is the most common benign germ cell tumor of the ovary, and it constitutes 15-25% of ovarian tumors overall. A wide variety of malignant tumors may arise within a mature cystic teratoma, including squamous cell carcinoma (75%), adenocarcinoma (7%), undifferentiated carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and various sarcomas (7%). Malignant melanoma arising from mature cystic teratoma has also been reported, but it is very rare. Here, we report on an uncommon case of primary malignant melanoma arising from a mature ovarian cystic teratoma with multiple metastatic lesions.