Diffuse anorectal melanoma; review of the current diagnostic and treatment aspects based on a case report

Abstract

Primary anorectal melanoma is a rare and aggressive disease. Patients commonly complain for changes in bowel habits and rectal bleeding, and proctoscopically they mostly appear as non pigmented or lightly pigmented polypoid lesions. Such a lesion should always raise a high index of suspicion in any gastroenterologist or surgeon to prompt surgery, since early radical excision is the only treatment option. Herein, we report a case of a 57-year-old man with a diffuse anal canal melanoma and give reference to the current diagnostic and treatment options. © 2009 Stoidis et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.