Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis

Background: Temporal bone mucosal melanoma (MM) is exceedingly rare and presents with nonspecific symptoms with an insidious progression. For these reasons, patients with temporal bone MM may experience delays in diagnosis. Here, we present a case of temporal bone MM initially masquerading as chroni...

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Main Authors: Kurtis Young, Daniel V. Arkfeld, Lane D. Squires
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-09-01
Series:Otolaryngology Case Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468548822000479
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author Kurtis Young
Daniel V. Arkfeld
Lane D. Squires
author_facet Kurtis Young
Daniel V. Arkfeld
Lane D. Squires
author_sort Kurtis Young
collection DOAJ
description Background: Temporal bone mucosal melanoma (MM) is exceedingly rare and presents with nonspecific symptoms with an insidious progression. For these reasons, patients with temporal bone MM may experience delays in diagnosis. Here, we present a case of temporal bone MM initially masquerading as chronic otomastoiditis. Case presentation: A 68-year-old male veteran with history of lymphoma, basal cell carcinoma, chronic hepatitis B, and significant smoking history without any family history of melanoma presented to the ED with ear pain and epistaxis. The patient returned to the same ED 4 more times before being seen by our institution's otolaryngology department. Here, the patient reported total right-sided hearing loss and a new right-sided CNV3 paresthesia. On microscopy, a violaceous mass was noted behind the tympanic membrane, and confirmed on imaging. Transcanal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of mucosal melanoma, and the patient was subsequently placed on ipilumumab/nivolumab therapy. After four months of immunotherapy and palliative care, the lesion was found to have enlarged, prompting additional radiotherapy. Conclusions: Temporal bone MM are often diagnosed later, with poorer survival outcomes when compared to their cutaneous equivalents. Surgical management is often limited by the presence of distant metastases and advanced locoregional involvement. Advancements in immunotherapeutic options are promising but limited to a few reports in the literature. Future research is required to better characterize the presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of temporal bone MM.
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spelling doaj.art-50856f27ecaf430ab32e6c63b234caf72022-12-22T02:08:46ZengElsevierOtolaryngology Case Reports2468-54882022-09-0124100438Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditisKurtis Young0Daniel V. Arkfeld1Lane D. Squires2University of Hawai'i at Mānoa John A Burns School of Medicine, United StatesUniversity of California Davis, United StatesUniversity of California Davis, United States; VA Northern California Healthcare Systems, United States; Corresponding author. 2315 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.Background: Temporal bone mucosal melanoma (MM) is exceedingly rare and presents with nonspecific symptoms with an insidious progression. For these reasons, patients with temporal bone MM may experience delays in diagnosis. Here, we present a case of temporal bone MM initially masquerading as chronic otomastoiditis. Case presentation: A 68-year-old male veteran with history of lymphoma, basal cell carcinoma, chronic hepatitis B, and significant smoking history without any family history of melanoma presented to the ED with ear pain and epistaxis. The patient returned to the same ED 4 more times before being seen by our institution's otolaryngology department. Here, the patient reported total right-sided hearing loss and a new right-sided CNV3 paresthesia. On microscopy, a violaceous mass was noted behind the tympanic membrane, and confirmed on imaging. Transcanal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of mucosal melanoma, and the patient was subsequently placed on ipilumumab/nivolumab therapy. After four months of immunotherapy and palliative care, the lesion was found to have enlarged, prompting additional radiotherapy. Conclusions: Temporal bone MM are often diagnosed later, with poorer survival outcomes when compared to their cutaneous equivalents. Surgical management is often limited by the presence of distant metastases and advanced locoregional involvement. Advancements in immunotherapeutic options are promising but limited to a few reports in the literature. Future research is required to better characterize the presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of temporal bone MM.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468548822000479Temporal boneMelanomaMucosal melanomaNivolumabIpilimumab
spellingShingle Kurtis Young
Daniel V. Arkfeld
Lane D. Squires
Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
Otolaryngology Case Reports
Temporal bone
Melanoma
Mucosal melanoma
Nivolumab
Ipilimumab
title Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
title_full Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
title_fullStr Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
title_full_unstemmed Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
title_short Temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
title_sort temporal bone mucosal melanoma masquerading as otomastoiditis
topic Temporal bone
Melanoma
Mucosal melanoma
Nivolumab
Ipilimumab
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468548822000479
work_keys_str_mv AT kurtisyoung temporalbonemucosalmelanomamasqueradingasotomastoiditis
AT danielvarkfeld temporalbonemucosalmelanomamasqueradingasotomastoiditis
AT lanedsquires temporalbonemucosalmelanomamasqueradingasotomastoiditis