What is it about?
A heavy drinker and smoker had a normal UGI-endoscopy in 1996. In 1999, a repeat examination disclosed distal esophageal benign melanocytosis, typical, macro- and microscopically. Endoscopic and microscopic features were stable in 2002 and 2004. In 2007, dysphagia prompted an endoscopy, which disclosed a poorly differentiated epidermoid carcinoma at 19 cm and black nodules of the cardia with a microscopy typical of malignant melanoma, uT3N1 at EUS. Radiochemotherapy led to an 8-month improvement, which did not prevent death one year after diagnosis
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Why is it important?
This is the first certain case of benign melanocytosis turning to melanoma. It's occurence 8 years before melanoma excludes it being present at beginning. Melanocytosis is extremely rare in western coutry, usually consequence of chronic irritation by alcohol tobacco and/or reflux. It's easy to recognize, owing to its special color. It warrants follow-up, not so much because of incurable melanoma possible occurence as because of the possibility to detect a carcinoma early enough.
Perspectives
Rare cases publication increases everybody's experience.
Dr bernard maroy
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Primary malignant esophageal melanoma arising from localized benign melanocytosis, Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology, April 2013, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2012.08.003.
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