• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2015

Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer and its incidence is gradually increasing worldwide. Patients with metastatic melanoma have a very poor prognosis (estimated 5-year survival rate of <16%). In the last few years, several drugs have been approved for malignant melanoma, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockades. Although new therapeutic agents have improved progression-free and overall survival, their use is limited by drug resistance and drug-related toxicity. At the same time, adoptive cell therapy of metastatic melanoma with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has shown promising results in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we summarize the currently available drugs for treatment of malignant melanoma. In addition, we suggest cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells as another candidate approach for adoptive cell therapy of melanoma. Our preclinical study and several previous studies have shown that CIK cells have potent anti-tumor activity against melanomas in vitro and in an in vivo human tumor xenograft model without any toxicity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.122-125
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• 2014

Background Cutaneous malignant melanoma has a poor prognosis. The detrimental effect of incisional biopsies on the outcome of malignant melanoma has been debated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the presence and type of biopsy on the prognosis of malignant melanoma. Methods The medical records of 109 malignant melanoma patients treated at Tokushima University Hospital from 1983 to 2007 were reviewed. After excluding 28 cases with stage 0 disease or incomplete data, 81 cases were analyzed in detail with respect to patient sex, age, tumor site, clinical stage at diagnosis, presence of ulceration or lymph node metastasis, and prognosis. The five-year survival and five-year disease-free survival rates of patients who underwent incisional or excisional biopsies were compared with those who did not undergo a biopsy. Results The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.19. The mean age was 61.3 years (range, 19-93 years). The most common site was a lower extremity, and the most common clinical stage was stage II. No significant differences in clinicopathological features, five-year survival rates, and five-year disease-free survival rates were observed among the three groups. Conclusions The presence and type of biopsy neither affected the metastatic rate nor the prognosis of malignant melanoma. The use of incisional biopsies is not encouraged because tumor thickness cannot be measured accurately. However, they may be helpful for confirming the diagnosis if an excisional biopsy cannot be performed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.219-222
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• 2019

Three 8-12-year-old male cocker spaniels presented with an appendicular mass accompanied by pain, inflammation, lameness, and loss of nail in the digits of the forelimb or hindlimb. A histological examination revealed dermal masses of the digit composed of numerous neoplastic cells with marked pleomorphism and high mitosis. The neoplastic cells showed a strong invasive tendency into the epidermis and adjacent bony tissues, such as distal phalanx. Immunohistochemistry of the neoplastic cells in three masses revealed positive reactions for Melan-A. These three dogs were diagnosed as nailbed malignant melanoma in the digit based on the history, clinical signs, and histopathologic features.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.98-101
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• 2017

We report a case of primary intracranial malignant melanoma (PIMM) with extracranial metastases. The patient was an 82-year-old woman diagnosed with PIMM under the left cerebellar tentorium. We performed a tumor resection followed by gamma knife surgery. An magnetic resonance imaging at 11 months after surgery showed a local intracranial recurrence. At 12 months, vertebral metastasis was suspected, and 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) showed multiple extracranial metastases. She died at 13 months after surgery. Although extracranial metastases of PIMM are extremely rare, we should carefully follow up extracranial metastases together with intracranial ones, especially by FDG-PET/CT, even at an early asymptomatic stage.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.201-207
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• 1999

Malignant tumors of the hand are very rare. Between 1989 and 1998, 17 patients with malignant tumors of the hand were evaluated for clinical features, prevalence, treatment and results. The mean age was 45 years and median duration of follow-up was 38 months. A painless mass was the most common symptom and the most common lesion was the digit. Fifteen cases of soft tissue and 2 cases of bone tumor were diagnosed. On pathology, soft tissue tumors were comprised of 8 cases of malignant melanoma, 2 cases of angiosarcoma and 1 case each of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, extraskeletal chondrosarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Bone tumors were metastatic tumors and each originated from the rectal cancer or lung cancer. Lymph node involvements were noted in 4 cases of malignant melanoma and 1 case of squamous cell carcinoma. Six cases of metacarpo-phalangeal joint disarticulation and 4 cases of phalanx amputation were performed. Wide excision, ray amputation and below-elbow amputation were also performed. Three cases expired due to metastasis and progression of the original lesion. Among the surviving 14 cases, a malignant melanoma had metastasis on the axillary lymph node and 13 cases showed no local recurrence or metastasis during the follow-up.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.289-292
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• 2003

Primary malignant melanoma occurring in the lung is very rare and only few cases have been reported in the literatures. We have experienced one case of primary malignant melanoma of the right middle lobe. The patient was a 65-year-old male who had cough with blood tinged sputum for one month. Chest computed tomography showed about 4.5$\times$3 cm sized mass at the right middle lobe encasing the bronchus. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed and confirmed to malignant melanoma. Physical examination and additional clinical history showed that the mass had not metastasized to other possible primary sites. The patient underwent thoracotomy with right middle lobe lobectomy. Histologically, the tumor showed sheets of tumor cells that have nuclear atypia and melanin pigment Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient has been followed up for 24 months with no recurrence.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.161-164
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• 2007

Metastasis to the thyroid gland is very rare in clinical practice. We recently encountered a 65-year-old woman who presented with a large thyroid nodule that mimicked the cytologic features of a papillary thyroid carcinoma on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Although initially diagnosed as a papillary thyroid carcinoma, a thorough clinical work-up revealed multiple lesions in the bones, liver, and nasal cavity, which were confirmed as metastases of a malignant melanoma. Despite a thorough physical examination, however, the primary skin lesion could not be identified. Although FNAB shows a high degree of accuracy in diagnosing primary thyroid tumors, it is less accurate in diagnosing metastases to the thyroid gland. A thorough clinical history with appropriate immunohistochemical staining assays is necessary for the accurate diagnosis of metastatic malignant melanoma.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2007

Primary intracranial melanoma is uncommon. These tumors most commonly occur at the temporal lobe, cerebellum and cerebellopontine angle. We report a case of intracranial malignant melanoma of the occipital lobe in a 60-year-old man who presented with headache and visual disturbance. The mass showed hyperintensity on T1-weighted images and hypointensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. He underwent gross total removal of tumor and received radiotherapy. Follow-up imaging studios showed neither recurrence nor any signs of residual disease for 4 months.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.697-700
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• 2002

Primary malignant melanoma of the mediastinum is extremely rare : To date, there have been only 8 cases reported in the literature. We report a case of a 50-year-old woman presented with an anterior mediastinal mass. The mass invaded the lung parenchyme of right upper lobe, which was wedge-resected with the mass. Microscopically, spindle or polygonal tumor cells with prominent nucleoli and intracytoplasmic melanin pigments are characterized and Fontana stain confirmed the presence of melanin pigment. Immunohistochemical studies showed diffuse positive staining for HMB45, S100 protein and vimentin, which further suggested melanoma.

• Obstetrics & gynecology science
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.698-701
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• 2018

We report a rare case of vaginal amelanotic melanoma. Malignant melanomas are cutaneous and extracutaneous tumors that arise from embryological remnants of neural crest cells/melanocytes. Amelanotic melanomas at such rare locations can be misdiagnosed both clinically and radiologically. Therefore, histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry are mandatory for the diagnosis of these tumors. We diagnosed this case using histopathology and confirmed the diagnosis based on the presence of immunohistochemical markers human melanoma black 45 (HMB45) and S-100.