Gastrointestinal metastases from malignant melanoma: report of a case

Malignant melanoma metastases in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are found in more than 60% of autopsies on patients who have died with disseminated melanoma; however, the rate of GIT metastases detected clinically averages only 2%. This discrepancy seems to be attributed to the nonspecific symptoms and signs of GIT involvement, which include weakness, fatigue, bleeding, anemia, and abdominal pain. Sometimes a diagnosis is only made when bowel obstruction occurs. We report a case of long-term survival after surgery for multiple melanoma metastases in the gastrointestinal tract and review the relevant literature. Both our case report and the literature review demonstrate the benefits of surgery for patients with melanoma metastases in the GIT. We also stress the need for meticulous follow-up, detailed history-taking, and rapid evaluation of any vague and unclear abdominal signs and symptoms for patients with melanoma.