[Heavy ion radiotherapy for recurrence of an esophageal primary malignant melanoma].
A 55-year-old man, with a prior diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus, had undergone esophagectomy 6 years prior. During the postoperative follow-up, a flat tumor with black pigmentation, about 2 cm in diameter, was detected during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A pathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed a recurrent malignant melanoma. He underwent heavy ion radiotherapy for the tumor, and it disappeared after 6 months. Subsequently, a mediastinal lymph node metastasis was detected a year after radiotherapy. He received heavy ion radiotherapy for that tumor, and it was reduced in size a year after radiotherapy. At present, the patient is alive, 13 years after the initial radiotherapy. Although malignant melanoma is generally considered to be a radioresistant cancer, heavy ion radiotherapy led to a favorable outcome. This is the first reported case of heavy ion radiotherapy for treating the recurrence of a primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus.
Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences.
Tetsuro
T
Isozaki
Shigeru
S
Yamada
Miho
M
Shiomi
Shigeo
S
Yasuda
Tadashi
T
Kamada
Hirohiko
H
Tsujii
Hisahiro
H
Matsubara
D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy; D063193:Heavy Ion Radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome