Melanophagic dermatitis and panniculitis. A condition revealing an occult metastatic malignant melanoma.

A 32-year-old woman had a dozen slate-blue cutaneous macules of recent onset. Histologic examination of multiple skin biopsies revealed melanophagic dermatitis and panniculitis accompanying a few occult metastases of malignant melanoma. The primary site of the neoplasm remained undiscovered. The pathogenesis of melanophagic dermatitis and panniculitis is presumably related to the spontaneous regression of metastases.