Diagnosis and treatment of metastatic melanoma of unknown primary

Abstract

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes. Melanoma is characterized by rapid and early development of metastatic disease. Most often, metastases develop in regional lymph nodes. Metastases of melanoma can be the first signs of advanced process and the only manifestation of the disease. Patients with metastatic melanoma of unknown primary site represent approximately 1 to 8% of all cases of melanoma and up to 12.6% of all cases of metastatic melanoma of unknown primary site. The understanding of clinical course of metastatic melanoma of unknown primary is necessary to determine disease prognosis. This article shows the analysis of issues devoted to the description of the clinical manifestations of the disease and the characteristics of the clinical course, depending on the localization of the tumor.

Keywords

• melanoma
• metastatic melanoma of unknown primary
• prognosis
• survival
• immunohistochemical study
• combined treatment