Primary Ovarian Malignant Melanoma: A Case Report

TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of primary ovarian melanoma, a difficult-to-diagnose cancer, and describes successful treatment with immunotherapy.

Contribution

The novelty lies in presenting a rare case of primary ovarian melanoma with a positive treatment outcome using adjuvant immunotherapy.

Findings

A 56-year-old woman was diagnosed with primary ovarian melanoma after surgery for a pelvic mass.

The patient received adjuvant immunotherapy and remained disease-free for one year post-diagnosis.

The case highlights the challenges in diagnosing primary ovarian melanoma due to its rarity and similarity to other ovarian cancers.

Abstract

Primary ovarian melanoma (POM) is an exceedingly rare and aggressive form of melanoma that arises in the ovaries, distinct from metastatic ovarian melanoma, which is far more common. The rarity of this condition, coupled with its clinical similarities to other types of ovarian malignancies, makes it a challenging entity to diagnose and manage. We present the case of a 56-year-old woman who underwent a laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy due to pelvic organ prolapse and a left adnexal mass. The final histology showed a POM. She received adjuvant immunotherapy, and a year after the initial diagnosis, the patient remains alive and well, without any signs of recurrence or distant disease.

Figures