An Autopsy Case of Malignant Melanoma, Misdiagnosed as Pulmonary Cancer: Effect of Naproxen on Tumor Fever on Malignant Melanoma

Abstract

A 79-year-old woman had the multiple cutaneous nevus pigmentosus since her childhood.
On Jan. 1986, she developed high fever and her chest roentgenogram revealed abnormal shadows in the right lower lung field. She was admitted to our hospital with a tentative diagnosis of pulmonary cancer on March 5.
Naproxen was effective against tumor fever of this malignant melanoma. Her condition progressively deteriorated despite administration of OK432 and UFT. She died on May 20, 1986
The autopsy revealed malignant melanoma in the right lung, extensive metastasis to the liver, adrenal gland, peritoneum and jejunum.
It is suggested that the lesion of the pulmonary malignant melanoma was metastasized from the cutaneous nevus pigmentosus with its malignant change.