Melanoma metastasis to the femoral nerve: a novel case of melanoma masquerading as mononeuropathy. Illustrative case

BACKGROUND: Metastatic cancer may involve the central and peripheral nervous system, usually in the late stages of disease. At this point, most patients have been diagnosed and treated for widespread systemic disease. Rarely is the involvement of the peripheral nervous system the presenting manifestation of malignancy. One reason for this is a proposed "blood-nerve barrier" that renders the nerve sheath a relatively privileged site for metastases.

OBSERVATIONS: The authors presented a novel case of metastatic melanoma presenting as intractable leg pain and numbness. Further workup revealed concurrent disease in the brain and breast, prompting urgent treatment with radiation and targeted immunotherapy.

LESSONS: This case highlights the rare presentation of metastatic melanoma as a mononeuropathy. Although neurological complications of metastases tend to occur in later stages of disease after initial diagnosis and treatment, one must remember to consider malignancy in the initial differential diagnosis of mononeuropathy.