title: Anorectal melanoma in northern Pakistan.
abstract: Melanoma of the anorectum is a rare malignancy. At Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), 11 cases were diagnosed over a 10 year period (1981-1990) constituting 14.2% of all primary malignant melanomas. The anorectum was the commonest site for noncutaneous melanomas (45.8%). The age group commonly affected was the fifth to seventh decade (72.7%). Most of the tumours were extensive involving both anal canal and rectum. The proportion of anorectal melanoma is much higher in our study as compared to western reports (0.4-1.6%). The distribution of noncutaneous melanomas in our population also differs, with a relatively lower proportion of ocular melanomas (33.3%) which are the commonest (80%) in western studies (JPMA 42: 155, 1992).
authors.affiliation: Histopathology Department, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mamoon
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*