Malignant melanomas in the small intestine: a study of 103 patients.

Abstract

Our data and results support the concept that small bowel involvement by melanoma, even without a known primary, is most probably metastatic. The age at which an unknown primary occurred in cases of intestinal melanoma, or the age at which intestinal metastasis may appear in cases with known primary melanoma, can be estimated. There appear to be two subsets of primary melanoma: one that occurs among younger patients and is more aggressive with rapid metastasis and early death and one that occurs among older patients, is more indolent, and metastasizes less rapidly.