Melanoma and pregnancy with placental metastases. Report of a case.

The authors report on the case of a 33-year-old white woman who developed melanoma during pregnancy, with widespread metastatic disease involving the placenta. The melanoma developed during two consecutive pregnancies and was untreated throughout the course of both. The patient died with widespread metastases shortly after attempted Cesarean delivery of her second child. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical studies were made with anti-S-100 protein and HMB45 antibodies. The authors discuss the possible influence of pregnancy on the prognosis of melanoma.