Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus treated by esophagectomy and systemic chemotherapy

Abstract

We describe herein a case of asymptomatic primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus. A 65-year-old man presented with a 4-cm filling defect in the middle third of the esophagus on a routine barium swallow. Subtotal esophagectomy accompanied by lymph node dissection was performed through a right thoracotomy. Postoperatively, the patient received five cycles of systemic chemotherapy with dacarbazine (DTIC), nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU), and vincristine (VCR) (DAV therapy), but ultimately died of generalized metastatic disease 15 months after surgery. Malignant melanoma of the esophagus has an extremely poor prognosis despite various therapeutic efforts.