Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

Dermatology Online Journal

Dermatology Online Journal bannerUC Davis

Primary malignant melanoma of the ovary arising in a cystic teratoma; case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma of the ovary arising in a cystic teratoma is extremely rare. There is no melanocytic component in the normal ovarian tissue. However, melanocytes may be present in a cystic teratoma of the ovary, especially at the basal layer of squamous epithelium. We report a case of primary malignant melanoma of the ovary arising in a cystic teratoma. We demonstrate junctional activity of melanocytes showing malignant transformation with both radial and vertical growth phases, a feature diagnostic for primary malignant melanoma but not always demonstrated in such cases. We compiled and reviewed twelve cases that are also able to demonstrate junctional activity.

Main Content
For improved accessibility of PDF content, download the file to your device.
Current View