A Rare Case of Gastric Metastasis from a Rare Case of Mucosal Malignant Melanoma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma (MM) is the deadliest form of skin cancer and the most common carcinoma to metastasize into the gastrointestinal tract (GI). While the jejunum, ileum, colon, and rectum are common gastrointestinal sites of metastasis, metastatic melanoma in the stomach is rare and usually not detected until late in the disease. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a patient who presented with hematemesis, epigastric pain, and weight loss. In the second esophagogastroduodenoscopy, after 8 months from the first endoscopic assessment, a double ulcerative gastric mass was found, and histopathology confirmed metastatic malignant melanoma. The complete surgical resection of GI metastatic MM in carefully selected patients not only provides symptom control but has also been associated with an increase in overall survival in the absence of other metastatic sites. At present, the overall survival of patients with advanced metastatic MM who have been treated with a combination of immunotherapeutic agents reaches 52% at 5 years. CONCLUSION: The role of surgery for patients with metastatic involvement of the GI tract with MM is evolving in the era of effective systemic treatments.