Primary mucosal melanoma of the eustachian tube

• Published in: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology 2004-03, Vol.261 (3), p.139-142
• Main Authors: RACIC, Goran, KURTOVIC, Dragan, ROJE, Zeljka, TOMIC, Snjezana, DOGAS, Zoran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Dermatology; Ear Neoplasms - diagnosis; Ear Neoplasms - pathology; Eustachian Tube - pathology; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - diagnosis; Head and Neck Neoplasms - secondary; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Medical sciences; Melanoma - diagnosis; Melanoma - secondary; Melanoma - therapy; Nasal Mucosa - pathology; Nasopharynx - diagnostic imaging; Nasopharynx - pathology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharyngeal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Pharyngeal Neoplasms - secondary; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0937-4477; 1434-4726
• DOI: 10.1007/s00405-003-0633-8

Melanomas of the upper airway tract constitute around 1% of the total melanomas of the head and neck. They are usually more advanced in depth of invasion or size at the time of diagnosis than melanomas of the skin. The case of a 74-year-old Caucasian female with primary malignant melanoma of the left eustachian tube and bilateral neck metastasis is presented. The procedure from the diagnosis of neck metastasis to the location of the primary melanoma is described. The management of the malignant melanoma neck metastasis should also involve endoscopic examination of the upper aerodigestive tract, since the primary lesion can occur there.