[Anal malignant melanoma. Case report and literature review].
OBJECTIVE
To present two cases of anorectal malignant melanoma as due to its non specific presentation and rarity they are often misdiagnosed like hemorrhoids.


BACKGROUND
Anal melanomas are rare tumors that constitute less than 1% of the malignant colorectal tumors and represent both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to physicians. They are generally pigmented but could be amelanotic in 29% of the cases and they are associated with poor prognosis, regardless of the surgical procedure used. Melanomas are often misdiagnosed by a lot of anorectal conditions and diagnosis must be suspected in patients with an anal mass.


METHODS
We present two anorectal cases of malignant melanoma treated by wide local excision, the principal complain in both patients was the presence of an anal mass and bleeding. Both patients were treated by local excision since survival rates are comparable to those of patients treated by abdomino perineal resections (with a high morbility and mortality rates) and a better quality of life is achieved with control of the symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Anal melanoma is a rare entity with a poor prognosis. The overall treatment goal should be to optimize the quality of life.
Martínez-Hernández-Magro
P
P
Centro de Detección Oportuna de Enfermedades Colorrectales, Hospital Guadalupano de Celaya, Guanajuato, México. paulinomhm@hotmail.com
Villanueva-Sáenz
E
E
Chávez-Colunga
L B
LB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*