single sternal metastasis due to malignant melanoma with unexpected long-term survival: a case report

Apostolos S Gogakos,1 Dimitrios Paliouras,1 Christos Asteriou,1 Thomas Rallis,1 Achilleas Lazopoulos,1 Fotios Chatzinikolaou,2 Athanassios Zissimopoulos,3 Drosos Tsavlis,4 Katerina Tsirgogianni,4 Konstantinos Zarogoulidis,4 Konstantinos Porpodis,4 Kosmas Tsakiridis,5 Georgia Pitsiou,4 Ioannis Kioumis,4 Ilias Karapantzos,6 Chrysanthi Karapantzou,6 Nikos Sachpekidis,5 Paul Zarogoulidis,4 Nikolaos Barbetakis1 1Thoracic Surgery Department, 2Department of Pathology, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, 3Nuclear Medicine Department, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, 4Pulmonary Department – Oncology Unit, “G. Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 5Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, 6Ear, Nose and Throat Department, “Saint Luke” Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece Abstract: Metastases from melanoma have a very poor prognosis for the patient. Single metastatic lesions in the sternum due to melanoma are extremely rare. A rare case of a presternal mass in a 56-year-old patient who had undergone excision for malignant melanoma is presented. Review of the patient’s history and surgical resection of a single metastatic soft tissue lesion offer the best chance of long-term survival. Keywords: melanoma, metastasis, chest wall, sternum