Description
This is a segment of the thoracic vertebrae showing collapse of two vertebrae with obvious
destruction of bone. There is a sclerotic area apparent at the periphery of the lower lesion; the
intervertebral discs are intact. No tumour tissue as such is obvious but the destruction is consistent
with tumour infiltration.
History
This woman presented some 5 months before death with a four-week history of pain in
the lumbar spine and left iliac crest. An enlarged lymph node was found in the left axilla; the
histology of this was that of metastatic melanoma. No primary site was found. Two months before
her death she fell, breaking the right humerus, a pathological fracture was demonstrated and this
was treated by internal fixation (see specimen F.44). At autopsy, secondary deposits were
demonstrated in lung, liver, omentum, adrenals and brain.