Endoscopic diagnosis of primary anorectal melanoma

Abstract

ObjectiveThe present study retrospectively analyzed case data from 12 patients diagnosed with anorectal melanoma, with the purpose of identifying key diagnostic features at endoscopy.Materials and MethodsImages from colonoscopy were reviewed for all patients in order to establish the endoscopic features of primary anorectal melanoma. For the patients whose colonoscopic examinations included endoscopic ultrasound, images were examined to characterize lesions and the depth of infiltration, the results of which were compared with pathological findings after operative resection.ResultsAt colonoscopy, superficial melanin pigmentation was identified in 10 patients with anorectal melanoma, with morphology including spots, patches, or sheets of pigmentation. In patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasound, lesions appeared as masses on the mucosal side with inhomogeneous or low-level internal echoes or ulcer-type lesions invading the muscularis propria. Lesions diagnosed as anorectal melanoma also demonstrated irregular margins and varying degrees of submucosal infiltration. Infiltration depth of melanoma via endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was concordant with surgical pathology results in 100% of patients.ConclusionColonoscopy combined with biopsy and subsequent pathological examination can accurately diagnose primary anorectal melanoma. Moreover, EUS is a reliable tool for assessing the depth of infiltration of this disease.

Anorectal mucosal melanoma

“…The use of colonscopy and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is helpful for diagnosis and staging of ARMM. Colonscopy combined with biopsy and subsequent pathological examination allows the accuracy in the ARMM diagnosis [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Effect of surgical treatment for anorectal melanoma: a propensity score-matched analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results programme data

“…Primary AM is the third most common site for primary mucosal melanoma after the head and neck and vulvovaginal regions 21 22. Distant metastasis in the early stage makes the treatment and diagnosis of primary AM ineffective 23. Radical surgery seems to be the best treatment for patients with AM, while optimal surgical strategies are also vital to improving the OS of patients with AM 24 25.…”

A New Anorectal Melanoma Cell Line Derived from a Primary Human Rectal Tumor

“…In this study, we performed preoperative diagnosis of anorectal melanoma using colorectal biopsy, among the most accurate ways to diagnosis this cancer 15 . We determined that the observed tumor was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with solid proliferation.…”