Intestinal melanoma: A broad spectrum of clinical presentation

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Small intestine melanomas are rare and the most of them are metastases from primary cutaneous neoplasms. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Below, we report two cases of small intestine metastatic melanoma with very different clinical presentation. DISCUSSION: Still now, primary versus metastatic origin is often unclear. Small bowel melanoma is often asymptomatic. However, clinical picture can be various; it may occurs with non specific symptoms and signs of gastro-intetstinal involvement, like chronic abdominal pain, occult or gross bleeding and weight loss, or with an emergency picture due to intestinal intussusception, obstruction or, rarely, perforation. CONCLUSION: Small bowel melanoma is rare and the diagnosis done late. Imaging techniques are recommended in order to obtain early diagnosis of gastrointestinal metastases.