Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Lung; Case Report of a Rare Entity

Primary pulmonary malignant melanoma is an exceptionally rare non-epithelial neoplasm, constituting around 0.01% of all primary lung malignancies. We report a case of a 57-year-old male with no comorbidities, in whom two nodules were incidentally detected in the middle and lower lobes of the right lung, later diagnosed as primary malignant melanoma of the lung. The prognosis for primary pulmonary malignant melanoma is dismal and many patients have rapid progression and a brief life span, despite intervention. The 5-year survival rate is less than 20%. The survival may range anywhere from a month to 7 years, but averages around 18-20 months according to literature. Our case, however, continues to remain clinically stable till date, presumably due to early detection while the patient was being investigated for an unrelated cause, and timely intervention.