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©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2005; 11(14): 2197-2199
Published online Apr 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i14.2197
Published online Apr 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i14.2197
Unusual clinical course of metachronous melanomas of the upper digestive system
Andrzej Dabrowski, Krzysztof Zinkiewicz, Witold Zgodzinski, Grzegorz Cwik, Tomasz Skoczylas, Grzegorz Wallner, 2nd Department of General Surgery, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16, 20-081, Lublin, Poland
Justyna Szumilo, Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Krzysztof Zinkiewicz MD., 2nd Department of General Surgery, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16, 20-081, Lublin, Poland. kzinek@yahoo.com
Telephone: +4881-53-241-27 Fax: +4881-53-288-10
Received: June 8, 2004
Revised: June 9, 2004
Accepted: July 27, 2004
Published online: April 14, 2005
Revised: June 9, 2004
Accepted: July 27, 2004
Published online: April 14, 2005
Abstract
Melanoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare, highly malignant neoplasm of poor prognosis. This is description of an unusual case of surgically treated patient with two metachronous malignant melanomas of the stomach and the esophagus. The former lesion was located in the cardia and effectively treated with R0 total gastrectomy. The latter was recognized after 67 mo and appeared as irregular, flat, pigmented areas located in the mid esophagus. Subtotal esophagectomy via right-sided thoracotomy, laparotomy and left-sided cervicotomy was performed, but neoplastic cells were found in distal margin (R1). Fourteen months after esophagectomy multiple lung metastases were detected. Patient died 2 mo later.