A rare case of primary malignant melanoma developing in the esophagus was described.
A 45 year old man was admitted to our clinic on Apr. 5, 1974, complaining ofoccasional feeling of dysphagia for several months. General examination was negativefor melanotic lesions, including examinations of the skin, anus, both eyes and upperrespiratory tract. X-ray examinations disclosed a polypoid and multilobulated lesion atthe middle third of the esophagus.
Selective accumulation of RI in this lesion was also demonstrated by 67 Ga-citratescintigraphy. Esophagoscopy revealed a dark-bluish mass protruding circumferentiallytoward the lumen of the esophagus; its surface was relatively smooth, soft, partiallyeroded and easily bled on instrumentation.
Histologic examination of a biopsy of this lesion showed a diffuse tumor growth underthe epithelial layer of the esophagus. The tumor cells formed epitheloid clusters orsheets of streaming arrays and had eosinophilic cytoplasm with or without dark-brownpigment granules which were readily removed with hydrogen peroxide and stained withsilver but did not contain iron.
All the above mentioned data strongly indicated that the tumor was a primary malignantmelanoma originating in the esophagus.
Lineac irradiation of a total dose of 5, 000 rads combined with chemotherapies wasperformed, but the patient died 5 months later by massive, multiple metastases in bothlungs.
Eleven case reports of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus, appearing inthe literature in Japan, were reviewed.
Histopathologic characteristics, clinical course and recent advances in the treatment of malignant melanoma of the esophagus were briefly discussed.
抄録全体を表示