title: Metastatic melanoma of the gastrointestinal tract. Results of surgical management.
abstract: Between 1954 and 1989, 41 patients with melanoma metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract underwent surgical treatment at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. The small bowel was most commonly involved (71%), followed by the stomach (27%), large bowel (22%), and esophagus (5%). Gross total excision of all intra-abdominal metastases was performed in 52% of patients. The postoperative mortality was 5% and the median patient survival was 0.8 years, with 1- and 5-year survival rates of 44% and 9%, respectively. Of the patient, tumor, and treatment variables evaluated, patients with small-intestinal metastases had a significantly worse prognosis. Although patients with melanoma metastatic to the bowel have a limited life expectancy, surgical resection of their metastases provides effective palliation. Operative treatment of selected patients with symptomatic melanoma metastatic to the gastrointestinal tract is a worthwhile undertaking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 55905.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Caputy
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Donohue
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Goellner
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate