Thoracic primary central nervous system melanoma and lumbar schwannoma of complex neurocristopathy: case report.

Abstract

Complex neurocristopathy, a disorder resulting from the aberrant proliferation of tissues derived from neural crest cells, has been previously reported in 2 patients, both involving ophthalmic melanoma and other tumors. One patient had a periorbital neurofibroma, sphenoid wing meningioma, and choroid juxtapapillary meningioma. The other patient had a choroidal melanoma and an optic nerve sheath meningioma. The authors describe clinical and pathological findings in a patient who underwent resection of 2 distinct lesions: primary CNS melanoma at T-12 and an L-5 schwannoma. Clinical and histopathological findings of the case are reviewed. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first patient to present with complex neurocristopathy involving both a spinal melanoma and schwannoma.