Primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus. A case report

A primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus was surgically treated in a 71-year-old man. Maximally radical excision of the tumour was performed, with broad 'safety' margins and radical ablation of the para-oesophageal tissue at tumour level, without touching the tumour. When oesophagoscopy shows a tumour strongly suggestive of melanoma, confirmation should be made with fine-needle aspiration biopsy in preference to histologic biopsy, to avoid explosive spread of the tumour.