title: Primary malignant melanoma of the duodenum: aggressive management and long-term survival of an unusual oncologic entity.
abstract: Primary malignant melanoma originating in the small bowel is extremely rare. We report the case of a 55-year-old man who presented with a preoperative bleeding duodenal tumor. A standard pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination ascertained the diagnosis of a duodenal malignant melanoma with locoregional lymphatic spread. A thorough postoperative investigation did not reveal any primary melanotic lesions. Thus, the diagnosis of a primary melanoma originating from the duodenum was suggested. Fourteen months after surgery, the patient had no evidence of recurrence. Primary malignant melanoma of the duodenum is an existing, though unusual, oncologic entity. Aggressive surgery remains the treatment of choice offering both symptom palliation and long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hellenic Anticancer Institute, Saint Savvas Hospital, Athens, Greece. dkorkolis_2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dimitris P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Korkolis
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Apostolaki
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gontikakis
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Plataniotis
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siskos
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xinopoulos
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitroulopoulos
authors.forename: Nikitas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papantoniou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biteli
authors.forename: Perikles P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Vassilopoulos
mesh_terms: D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy