Case St ud y © ADR Journals 2015. All Rights Reserved. Spindle Cell M elanoma in a 9-Year-Old Child Sakshi Sirswal * , Sufian Zaheer * , Surbhi Goyal * Abstract Melanoma is a rare malignancy in childhood such that only 0.3 to 0.4% of all melanomas develop in prepubertal children. Spindle cell melanoma accounts for only 3 to 14% of all melanomas. The authors report here a case of spindle cell melanoma in a 9-year-old male child, who presented with a gradually progressive, painful to touch swelling on right foot since 3 months that recurred after 4 months of excision. Keywords: Melanoma, Spindle cell, Children, Excision, Recurrence. Introduction Melanoma is a rare malignancy in childhood such that only 0.3 to 0.4% of all melanomas develop in prepubertal children. 1 In children as in adults, most melanomas develop de novo, but in children, atypical, amelanotic, and nodular melanomas are more common. Spindle cell melanoma accounts for only 3 to 14% of all melanomas. 2 The authors report here a case of spindle cell melanoma in a 9-year-old male child who presented with recurrence, 4 months after its excision. Case Report A 9-year-old boy presented with a painful swelling over dorsum of right foot since 3 months. This swelling had recurred after 4 months of excision. On examination, swelling of 3×2 cm was noted in the superficial plane, on the medial plantar aspect of right foot. Swelling was tender, soft to firm in consistency. Overlying skin was pigmented with variegated appearance of brown and black colored areas and with ill-defined borders. Thus, a clinical diagnosis of malignant melanoma was made. A wide local excision w as done and sent for histopathological examination. The authors received a partially skin-covered soft-tissue piece measuring 2×1.5×1 cm. Sections examined showed a poorly circumscribed neoplasm in the dermis reaching close to the epidermis of skin (Fig. 1). Figure 1.M elanoma Spindle Cells Reaching Close to the Epidermis * Department of Pathology, Vardhman M ahavir M edical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. Correspondence to: Dr Sakshi Sirswal, Vardhman M ahavir M edical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. E-mail Id: sakshisirswal@gmail.com