Malignant melanoma metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract from an occult primary tumor

We have described two cases of malignant melanoma of the small bowel which metastasized from occult primaries. Malignant melanoma in the bowel is more common than one might think, being third only to adenocarcinoma of the kidneys and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. It appears at this time that palliative resection, along with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, is the procedure of choice in patients with this condition.