A case of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus with long-term survival

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is uncommon, and its prognosis is poor compared to that of cutaneous malignant melanoma. Here we describe a case of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus with a long-term survival. A 52-year-old woman received an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and an upper gastrointestinal series for a dull back pain and dysphagia. A pigmented polypoid tumor in the esophagus was discovered and diagnosed pathologically as a malignant melanoma on the biopsied specimen. After effective chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP), the patient underwent surgical operation. A subtotal esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection was performed through a right thoracotomy. No distant metastasis including liver and lung was found, and histopathological examination revealed no lymph node metastasis. Postoperatively, six courses of chemotherapy with CDDP were performed. The patient has been alive without any problems for more than 11 years postoperatively.