New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) A 62-year-old woman with a rare and aggressive form of cervical cancer has been successfully treated at a hospital in Delhi using a multidisciplinary approach involving chemoradiation, immunotherapy, and surgery.
The postmenopausal patient had reported abnormal vaginal bleeding and was diagnosed with an 8 cm cervical mass, according to a statement by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, where she was being treated.
Dr Pakhee Aggarwal, Senior Consultant, Gynaecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery, who led the treatment, said the patient was diagnosed with stage IIB primary malignant melanoma of the cervix -- an extremely rare form of cancer, with fewer than 100 cases reported worldwide.
Giving details of the treatment, Aggarwal said the patient was treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation in combination with immunotherapy, followed by a radical hysterectomy, which successfully removed the residual mass.
“Malignant melanoma is more commonly found on the skin and mucosal surfaces, with only 3–7 per cent affecting the female genital tract. Among those, cervical melanomas are the rarest, occurring at a rate five times lower than vulvar or vaginal melanoma,” the hospital said in its statement.
Primary cervical melanoma is an oncologic rarity with a very poor prognosis and limited documented success stories.
“This case not only highlights the importance of early diagnosis but also opens the door to newer treatment pathways for this rare malignancy,” Dr Aggarwal added.
The doctor said the woman is on maintenance immunotherapy and is showing excellent recovery.