Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus with extensive intraepithelial extension

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is an exceedingly rare tumor. The prognosis of PMME is very poor, and the 5-year survival rate is only 2.2% due to its aggressive biologic character. We present patient with PMME with wide extension into almost the entire esophagus, without endoscopic abnormalities. This patient's presentation is extremely valuable because it has enabled us to observe the long-term natural progression of PMME, including recurrent disease with a wide range of atypical melanocytic cells in the entire esophagus.