[A case of malignant melanoma of the esophagus]

A 56-year-old female with chest pain after a meal was found to have the black mucous membrane of the middle intrathoracic esophagus by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The lesion was diagnosed as primary malignant esophageal melanoma without lymph nodes and other organ metastasis. We underwent a subtotal esophageal by right thoracotomy and laparotomy. She survives with relapse-free for 3 years after the surgery. There is no standard therapy because primary malignant esophageal melanoma is not common. However, we thought a surgical treatment should be performed for a curatively resectable case.