Diagnosis and treatment of vaginal melanoma: case report

Abstract

Background: Melanomas with a genital location are included in the category of rare neoplasms, and vaginal melanoma is an even rarer condition, accounting for less than 0.05 to 0.1% of genital neoplasms. The mortality of vulvovaginal melanomas has remained almost constant in recent decades, and a factor that may contribute to the high mortality is the specific predetermined. This makes the diagnosis of vaginal melanoma quite discouraging, as it is usually associated with a poor prognosis. Aim: To report a rare case of vaginal melanoma seen in our Service. Method: This is the case report of a patient seen at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service of the São Francisco University Hospital at Providência de Deus - HUSF, located in the city of Bragança Paulista, SP, Brazil. The patient was contacted by the researchers and signed an Informed Consent Form authorizing the research to be carried out. Conclusion: A 64-year-old patient had a locally advanced vaginal melanoma, as well as a possible distant pulmonary metastasis. Diagnosis was performed with the aid of colposcopy, bimanual vaginal examination, anatomopathological and immunohistochemical studies. The staging of the neoplasm was detected by computed tomography scans of the pelvis, abdomen and chest, as well as by ultrasonography of the inguinal region. The patient did not undergo surgery, opting for palliative chemotherapy with dacarbazine and radiotherapy.