Description
Arising from the region of the nail bed there is a pale fungating tumour some 2.5 cm. in maximum
diameter. The cut surface shows the tumour extending down to the periosteum. Microscopy
showed an amelanotic malignant melanoma.
History
This 42-year-old woman injured her finger in a washing machine wringer some 7 months
before the finger was amputated. A month after the injury a tumour appeared in the nail bed and
grew steadily over the back of the finger. It bled when touched and was tender. Six months
postoperatively, enlarged lymph nodes were found in the right axilla; these were removed and the
presence of metastatic tumour confirmed.