Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus, first recognized as a primary tumor by de la Pava et al. in 1963, is rare. It usually presents as an aggressive polypoidal darkly colored or non-pigmented tumor in the mid to lower esophagus which may be diagnosed preoperatively by the use of immunohistochemical stains such as HMB-45 (melanoma specific antigen). The treatment of choice is surgical resection however the overall prognosis is poor with only 4 per cent of patients surviving 5 years.