Obstrução intestinal por melanoma metastático: relato de caso

Abstract

Melanoma is a highly malignant tumor and represents 3% of all cancers. Malignant melanoma is the most common metastatic tumor involving the gastrointestinal tract, the small bowel being the localization most frequently involved. Its clinical presentation is inespecific and an obstructive acute abdomen syndrome could be its first manifestation. The article is about a case of a 36 years-old patient, which had been submitted to resection of melanoma in the dorsal region in 2009. The patient developed acute intestinal obstruction and laparotomy showed intestinal intussusceptions caused by metastatic melanoma at 50 cm from the angle of Treitz. The specimen was sent for pathological, which confirmed the presence of metastatic melanoma in the small bowel. The treatment of metastatic melanoma involves systemic treatment and treatment of complications. Intestinal metastasis must be considered in any patient with gastrointestinal symptoms and previous history of melanoma and the surgical treatment should always be considered because it can occasionally provide long-term survival. Key-words: Melanoma. Metastasis. Intestinal obstruction. Intussesception. Surgery.