Small bowel metastases of malignant melanoma: palliative effect of surgical resection

Abstract

Malignant melanoma shows an unusual predilection to metastasize to the small intestine. Three patients with malignant melanoma involving the small bowel are reported. One patient was operated on for small bowel obstruction and the other two for gastrointestinal bleeding. Two patients remained well 6 and 2 years, respectively, after surgery. One patient died of metastatic melanoma 4 years post-operation. Metastatic melanoma in the small bowel should be suspected in any patient with a previous history of malignant melanoma who develops GI symptoms or chronic blood loss. Surgical treatment was the first choice; the prognosis after surgical resection was much better than for other organ metastases or simultaneous metastases of the small bowel and other organs.