Melanoma of the Earlobe - An Uncommon location for An Usual Disease

Abstract

It was a 55-year-old taxi driver with an antecedent of chronic solar exposure since childhood, admitted in our department for the management of a purple tumor on the right earlobe evolving for 6 months after handling a hair, painless and non-pruriginous. The dermatological examination showed the presence of a 4 cm purple tumor located at the right earlobe with infiltrated basis, and a small ulceration in the center, the dermoscopy objectified the presence of purple laguna separate by fibrous septas with an ulceration and a rainbow pattern, the diagnosis of angiokeratoma, epidermised botriomyoma or kaposi disease was evoked, other diagnosis was cutaneous metastasis of a renal or hepatic tumor or a melanoma. Histology with immuno histochemistry confirmed a nodular-type melanoma, an extension assessment was performed revealing pulmonary and hepatic metastasis, oncological management was preconized.