Primary Esophageal Malignant Melanoma in Korea: Clinical features, Management and Prognosis

Primary esophageal melanoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. To date, 18 cases have been reported in Korea. Four patients visited the Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital with dysphagia, followed by epigastric pain and discomfort, odynophagia, and weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenosco...

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Published inThe Korean journal of gastroenterology = Taehan Sohwagi Hakhoe chi Vol. 79; no. 5; p. 222
Main Authors Oh, Hyung-Hoon, Jung, Yong-Wook, Han, Bora, Im, Chan-Muk, Yu, Hyung-Joo, Joo, Young-Eun
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Korea (South) 25.05.2022
Subjects
Deglutition Disorders
Esophageal Neoplasms - diagnosis
Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology
Esophageal Neoplasms - therapy
Humans
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Melanoma - diagnosis
Melanoma - pathology
Melanoma - therapy
Prognosis
Rare Diseases
Melanoma
Esophagus
Korea
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Summary:Primary esophageal melanoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. To date, 18 cases have been reported in Korea. Four patients visited the Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital with dysphagia, followed by epigastric pain and discomfort, odynophagia, and weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a black pigmented polypoid mass, protruding mass, or black-pigmented flat lesions. Two patients had distant metastases and lymphadenopathies in imaging studies. Two patients underwent esophagectomy and intrathoracic esophagogastrostomy. One patient was treated with chemotherapy and interferon-alpha. The other patient declined further treatment. The routine histology using H&E revealed brown-colored atypical melanocytes. Immunohistochemical staining exhibited strong reactivity for Melan-A, S-100, and HMB-45 proteins. The biopsy specimens were interpreted to be malignant melanoma. One patient had multiple distant metastases 13 months after surgery. The other patient had no recurrence for 33 months after surgery. The patient treated with chemotherapy and interferon-alpha showed disease progression in the follow-up examination. Primary esophageal melanoma in Korea is a rare disease characterized by aggressive behavior, early metastasis, and poor prognosis.
ISSN:2233-6869