Melanoma of the anal canal

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions Anorectal melanoma is a relatively rare condition. In all, a little over 100 cases have been reported in medical literature. The author's case is of special interest because the patient survived 70 months following radical abdominoperineal resection. Generalized metastases were present in this case as in all other reported fatal cases. Pigmented lesions of the anal canal should arouse suspicion of a melanoma. Biopsy should be done only with the cold knife. The importance of routine pathologic study of all anorectal tissue removed at operations cannot be overemphasized. The proper treatment of anorectal melanoma is radical abdominoperineal resection. Prophylactic ilioinguinal node dissection bilaterally or aorto-ilio-pelvic node dissection still remain equivocal procedures.