A RARE CASE REPORT OF METASTATIC MALIGNANT MELANOMA OF THE SMALL INTESTINE

Malignant melanomas involving the Gastrointestinal tract may be primary or metastatic lesions. Mucosal melanomas of the gastrointestinal tract are rare tumors that represent about 1.5 to2.0 percentage of all melanomas. The overwhelming majority of malignant melanomas involving the GI tract are secondary to metastatic disease. Herein we report a case of metastatic malignant melanoma of the small intestine. The patient is a 56 year old male with previous history of cutaneous melanoma (operated ) who then presented with symptoms of acute abdomen two years later. Emergency laparotomy was done and was found to have multiple black polypoid masses in the jejunal mucosa which was proved to be malignant melanoma histopathologically. This case emphasizes the need for a complete clinical assessment and careful work-up of non-specific abdominal symptoms in patients with a past history of cutaneous malignant melanoma, even after years of tumor-free follow-up.