Paraneoplastic syndrome in vaginal melanoma: a case report and review of the literature

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2007 Sep-Oct;17(5):1159-63. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1438.2006.00857.x. Epub 2007 Feb 14.

Abstract

The authors of this article present a case of a woman diagnosed with a vaginal melanoma who developed paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) soon after diagnosis. A review of the literature regarding PNSs in gynecological malignancies is also described in this article. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration with opsoclonus myoclonus secondary to a vaginal melanoma. In addition, our patient had an unusually acute progression to pancerebellar symptoms over the course of 3 weeks. Her paraneoplastic symptoms improved significantly after partial resection of the melanoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Melanoma / complications*
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Melanoma / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / diagnosis*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / etiology*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / pathology
  • Vaginal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Vaginal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Vaginal Neoplasms / surgery