Alopecia Neoplastica Caused by Desmoplastic Melanoma
November 2003
in “
Australasian Journal of Dermatology
”
TLDR A rare skin cancer caused hair loss and spread, needing multiple treatments.
A 50-year-old man experienced localized alopecia on the left frontal scalp for 6 months, which was diagnosed as desmoplastic melanoma with neurotropism. Despite wide excisions, the melanoma extended to the margins, infiltrating hair follicles and necessitating further surgeries, eye exenteration, and radiotherapy. The patient had multiple recurrences and intracranial involvement of the trigeminal nerve. This was the first reported case of desmoplastic melanoma presenting as alopecia.