Duodenal and gallbladder metastasis of regressive melanoma: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Malignant melanoma involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may be primary or metastatic. Small bowel is the commonest site of GI metastases from cutaneous malignant melanoma, metastatic lesion in the gallbladder is extremely rare.

Case presentation

This case report describes the presentation of metastatic melanoma in duodenum and gallbladder. A 45-year-old man has presented melena with intermittent abdominal pain. On physical examination we found a small lesion between the fourth and fifth toes, associated with inguinal lymph node. An Abdominal ultrasound revealed diffuse duodenal thickening. Upper endoscopy was performed and discovered an ulcerative lesion in the second part of the duodenum. The biopsy with immunohistochemical stains was in favor of a duodenal location of melanoma. Computed tomography (CT) revealed many circumferential thickening of ileal loops associated with a nodular lesion in the anterior wall of the gallbladder. The patient was treated by palliative chemotherapy.

Discussion

Malignant melanoma of the GI tract may be primary or secondary. The small bowel is the most affected, but it’s rare in the gallbladder. The clinical presentation can mimic the other intestinal tumors, and the diagnosis is based on imaging; CT scan and GI endoscopy have a key role on the diagnosis, and the treatment depends on the location and the number of lesions.

Conclusions

Metastases of melanoma in the GI tract are uncommon, the diagnosis must be suspected in any patient with a history of melanoma with digestive signs.     

Surgical approach to malignant melanoma in the gastrointestinal tract

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a common site for malignant melanoma. Diagnosis of lesions in the GI tract is usually delayed until complications occur, such as obstruction, bleeding, or perforation of the GI tract. Of 348 patients with malignant melanoma treated during a 10-year period, 11 had GI involvement either in a metastatic form or as a primary melanoma. Three of these patients were treated surgically for metastatic lesions in the small bowel causing intussusception, two for peritonitis secondary to perforation of the small bowel, and one for massive bleeding from metastatic melanoma in the stomach. Another patient had a primary melanoma in the esophagus and underwent esophagectomy. Three patients had primary melanomas of the anal canal and one of the rectum. Three of them underwent abdominoperineal resections, and two had bilateral groin dissection in addition. Six of the patients are alive 6 months to 4 years following diagnosis. The remaining five died of metastatic melanoma from 6 months to 4 years post-surgery.     

Metastatic malignant melanoma of the gallbladder: a case report and review of the literature

Both primary and metastatic melanoma of the gallbladder are rare. Involvement of the gallbladder occurs in about 15% of all gastrointestinal metastatic localizations in post-mortem case records. It is often difficult to differentiate primary from metastatic lesions on the basis of clinical, radiological and histopathological features. Melanoma involving the biliary tree seldom causes relevant symptoms during life, and this is why cases reported in the literature are few and those documented in living patients even fewer. We report a case of a young woman with a metastatic gallbladder melanoma who presented with a long and vague clinical history of symptoms that mimicked chronic cholecystitis with epigastric right hypochondrial pain without instrumental evidence of disease until the development of acute cholecystitis. We report this case to emphasize the need for awareness of the possibility of gallbladder involvement in the melanoma patient and to underline the necessity of meticulous investigation of unclear lesions of the gallbladder and biliary tree in patients with a past history of malignant melanoma. The clinical presentation, diagnosis, histopathology, prognosis and treatment of primary and metastatic melanoma of the gallbladder are also discussed and reviewed.     

Primary malignant melanoma of the small bowel: a case report and review of the literature

Although small bowel involvement by malignant melanoma is most frequently metastatic, a primary origin at this site has been reported in rare cases. The biological and clinical features of these cases have not yet been summarized. Here, another case of small bowel melanoma is described, and a review of the existing literature is given. An 81-year-old man presented with anemia and gastrointestinal bleeding. A tumor of the ileum was detected by video capsule endoscopy and removed by segment resection. Histological examination revealed a malignant melanoma of the ileum. Another primary site could be excluded by clinical and radiographic examination. The patient felt well five months after surgery. Only 18 cases of primary small bowel melanoma (including the present one) have been reported to date. A literature review reveals that this rare neoplasm is associated with a slight predilection for the male gender, a predilection for the ileum and a poor prognosis.     

Primary and metastatic diseases in malignant melanoma of the gastrointestinal tract

In this review, the gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of malignant melanoma including primary mucosal melanoma of the GI tract and metastatic melanoma to the GI tract are discussed. Although malignant melanoma most commonly arises in the skin, primary melanomas can also arise from the mucosal epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The vast majority of gastrointestinal melanoma is metastatic from a cutaneous primary; however, there is evidence that melanoma can arise de novo from within certain areas of the gastrointestinal system. The sporadic nature and small numbers of patients reported in the literature with mucosal melanomas have prevented a good understanding of the pathogenesis, natural history, and optimal treatment of this uncommon presentation of melanoma.     

Metastatic melanoma of the gallbladder.

Metastatic involvement of the gallbladder in melanoma is rare, but constitutes the most common metastatic lesion involving this organ. Two cases of metastatic melanoma to the gallbladder with radiographic evidence of gallbladder abnormality prior to surgery are presented. These cases are compared to the nine previously reported cases of metastatic melanoma to the gallbladder with abnormal cholecystograms. All eleven cases presented with signs and symptoms compatible with cholecystitis. Nine of the eleven patients had a previous melanoma primary and most had other extrabiliary metastases. Associated cholelithiasis appeared to be only incidental. In addition, nine reported cases of "primary" biliary melanoma were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic presentations in the latter cases were similar to the former cases with metastases. Seventy-eight percent had extrabiliary sites of metastasis at some time in the course of their disease, tending to refute the impression of "primary" biliary melanoma. Melanoma in the gallbladder is much more likely to have metastasized from a regressed skin primary than to have arisen de novo. The two reported cases and the 18 cases from the literature indicate that the physician must consider gallbladder metastasis in melanoma patients presenting with symptoms compatible with cholecystitis.     

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

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.     

A New Subtype of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Syncytial Nodular Sclerosing: First Case Report of Primary Small Bowel Lymphoma

Introduction

Gastrointestinal lymphomas may arise as a component of systemic disease with GI involvement or primary neoplasm. The diagnosis of primary GI lymphoma requires the lack of peripheral or mediastinal lymphadenopathy, normal white blood cell count, and differential on the peripheral blood smear; tumor involvement must be predominantly in the GI tract, and no evidence of liver or spleen involvement. The small bowel accounts for approximately 9% of the GI lymphomas.

Case report

We describe a first case of primary small bowel Hodgkin’s lymphoma syncytial variant nodular sclerosing type. A 28-year-old man with history of long-term use of immuno-suppressive agent and steroid presents with partial obstructing abdominal-mass-causing anemia and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient underwent colonoscopy because of progressive microcytic anemia. Colonoscopy revealed non-specific polyps that were non-bleeding. The patient continued to have symptoms of abdominal cramping and twitching sensation that led to serial of small bowel radiology studies which showed multiple filling defects and a partial small bowel obstruction. The patient underwent small bowel resection, which showed Hodgkin’s lymphoma syncytial variant type of nodular sclerosing.

Conclusion

This presentation is uncommon and, so far, there are less than ten cases reported with syncytial variant (SV) type of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NSHD). All of which have presentation above the diaphragm and, to our knowledge, this represents the first case that primary SV type of NSHD originated from the small intestine.     

Gastrointestinal metastases from malignant tumors of the lung

Autopsy data of 423 cases of primary tumor of the lung over a 36-year period were evaluated for the presence of gastrointestinal tract metastases. Fifty-eight cases (14%) were found and were analyzed for histologic nature of tumor, anatomic location, symptomatology and complications. The most common histologic type of lung tumor causing gastrointestinal tract metastasis was squamous cell (19 cases, 33%), followed by large cell (17 cases, 29%), and oat cell (11 cases, 19%). The esophagus was the most common site of involvement (33 cases). Fourteen of the 33 cases were involved by direct extension of the tumor. The middle third of the esophagus had metastases more commonly (16/33, 49%) than the other two sites. Most patients with gastrointestinal metastases had no symptoms. In those patients with symptoms, dysphagia was most common when the tumor involved the proximal gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach), whereas, pain was most commonly seen with involvement of the distal gastrointestinal tract (small bowel, large bowel). Six of 20 patients (30%) with small bowel involvement experienced perforation and peritonitis as complications of metastatic involvement and two patients with large bowel metastasis had obstruction; a third had dehiscence of a previous anastomotic site. Gastrointestinal tract metastases from primary carcinoma of the lung are more common than previously thought and may be associated with serious clinical complications.     

23例恶性黑色素瘤小肠转移临床病例分析

目的：总结恶性黑色素瘤小肠转移的临床病例特点。方法：我院诊治1例,通过中国知网、万方医学网以及 MEDLINE（或 PUBMED）检索到国内外报道的黑色素瘤小肠转移病例共23例,并进行统计分析。收集一般情况、黑色素瘤原发部位、原发肿瘤至小肠转移间隔时间以及临床症状等。结果：23例（男14例,女9例）,平均年龄54.7岁,初次诊断至发现转移平均时间间隔为6.33年（0-20年）。主要临床表现为腹痛16例（69.6%）,黑便/便血7例（30.4%）,肠梗阻或肠套叠14例（60.9%）。肿瘤最大直径平均为5.82cm（2-15cm）。47.8%为小肠多发转移。结论：恶性黑色素瘤小肠转移主要临床表现为腹痛、黑便,易于发生肠梗阻或肠套叠;肿瘤常多发转移,且发现小肠转移距初次诊断时间间隔较长。     

Long-term survival of metastatic melanoma to the ileum with evidence of primary cutaneous disease after 15 years of follow-up: a case report

The small bowel is the most common site of gastrointestinal metastasis from cutaneous melanoma. Malignant melanoma has a poor prognosis, especially if distant metastases appear. Although rare primary melanoma of the small bowel has been described, more frequently these lesions originate from unknown cutaneous melanoma. Here we report the case of a 58-year-old man with a diagnosis of melanoma of the ileum without evidence of primary cutaneous disease. After 15 years, during the clinical and radiological follow-up, a cutaneous melanoma in the left parietal side of the scalp, probably corresponding to the primary lesion with abdominal node metastasis, was diagnosed. After 6 months of chemotherapy with fotemustine, the patient showed a complete response. At present, he is still alive 18 years after the diagnosis of intestinal metastasis.     

Small bowel adenocarcinoma presenting with refractory iron deficiency anemia - case report and review of literature

Cancers of the small bowel are relatively rare and account for approximately 1-2% of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. The most common histologic subtype - adenocarcinoma - constitutes 40% of all cases. These cancers generally present with vague abdominal discomfort and are often diagnosed at a late stage and carry a poor prognosis. The treatment of choice of early-stage small bowel adenocarcinoma is surgical resection. No standard treatment protocol has been defined for unresectable or metastatic disease. Here, we report a case of a 56-year-old woman who presented with unexplained iron deficiency anemia. Extensive initial studies with serial CT scans of the abdomen, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, small bowel capsule endoscopy and colonoscopy were noncontributory. She was later found to have a metastatic small bowel adenocarcinoma and treated with palliative chemotherapy. She achieved a modest response to the treatment. Interestingly, in our case, the sole presentation was unexplained iron deficiency anemia. Physician's awareness regarding the possibility of small bowel cancer especially in the setting of iron deficiency and its workup has been emphasized. This enhances the chance of early detection and hence better survival.     

Gallbladder carcinomas with a single lymph node involvement behind biliary tract -two resected cases

Case 1 was an 85-year-old man, who was pointed out a gallbladder tumor by screening CT scan after bladder cancer. The tumor was arisen in the gallbladder body, 1 .5 cm in diameter. He underwent a radical surgery; the gallbladder-bed was resected with more than 1 cm margin, and lymphadenectomy was done preserving biliary tract. Pathologically his tumor was papillary adenocarcinoma suspected to invade to the liver-bed minimally. A lymph node involvement was solitary located at right side of hepatoduodenal ligament (behind biliary tract). Case 2 was a 73-year-old man who was pathologically diagnosed to be advanced gallbladder carcinoma after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. CT scan and MRI revealed a mass sized 2 cm in diameter, at the gallbladder-bed, and PET exam showed a hot spot at this site only. Therefore, he underwent a radical surgery like case 1. Pathologically the tumor was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and a lymph node involvement was solitary and located behind a biliary tract. Both patients have been recurrent free for more than 22 months and 15 months, respectively. Two lymphatic drainage routes have been suggested, one is the route which runs right side of hepatoduodenal ligament, another runs via left side of the ligament, along hepatic artery. Our two cases are considered to be solitary metastatic cases along the right side route. A clinical case of solitary node positive seems to be known for its relatively good prognosis. In order to justify our cases, we need a longer follow-up period, or we should have more cases to be experienced.     

Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract by metastases from germ cell tumors of the testis

Six cases of metastatic germ cell tumors of the testis involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are reported. Three cases were primary seminomas, and three were nonseminomatous. All six cases involved the upper GI tract, three occurring at presentation and three at relapse, with a disease-free interval of 3 months to 10 years. Isolated GI involvement did not occur. The presumed mode of spread was by haematogenous dissemination in three and direct extension from paraaortic lymph nodes in three. Symptoms suggestive of involvement were severe abdominal pain secondary to high intestinal obstruction or mucosal ulceration, severe lumbar pain, and symptoms of anemia as a result of clinically evident or occult blood loss. Four patients were now disease-free after chemotherapy, one died of an unrelated illness, and one patient was receiving treatment for relapsing disease.     

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the gall bladder.

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder is a very rare location of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas. A patient with a primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder is reported and in addition, the English literature is reviewed. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, histopathologic findings, treatment modalities and prognosis of primary gallbladder lymphomas reported up to date are reviewed and discussed. Our patient was diagnosed as a T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, after cholecystectomy, and had no evidence of disease elsewhere. She was treated with combination chemotherapy and complete remission was achieved. She remains free of disease 9 years later. Review of the literature over a 30-year period revealed only 12 cases of well-documented primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma involvement of the gallbladder, including the present case. Patients present clinically with symptoms and signs indicating either biliary tract pathology or a gastrointestinal tumor. Diagnostic investigation included ultrasound of the upper abdomen, computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis, oral cholecystography, percutaneous cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopangreatography. Preoperative diagnosis was established in none of the patients. Treatment modalities included surgery and postoperative chemotherapy and irradiation. The prognosis is overall poor and only 2 patients are alive after 1 and 9 years respectively, the latter being our case. Here we document the first reported case of a patient with primary T-cell lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder. Review of the literature shows the existence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder, its rarity and its general dismal prognosis.     

Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Gall Bladder

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder is a very rare location of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas. A patient with a primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder is reported and in addition, the English literature is reviewed. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, histopathologic findings, treatment modalities and prognosis of primary gallbladder lymphomas reported up to date are reviewed and discussed. Our patient was diagnosed as a T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, after cholecystectomy, and had no evidence of disease elsewhere. She was treated with combination chemotherapy and complete remission was achieved. She remains free of disease 9 years later. Review of the literature over a 30-year period revealed only 12 cases of well-documented primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma involvement of the gallbladder, including the present case. Patients present clinically with symptoms and signs indicating either biliary tract pathology or a gastrointestinal tumor. Diagnostic investigation included ultrasound of the upper abdomen, computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis, oral cholecystography, percutaneous cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopangreatography. Preoperative diagnosis was established in none of the patients. Treatment modalities included surgery and postoperative chemotherapy and irradiation. The prognosis is overall poor and only 2 patients are alive after 1 and 9 years respectively, the latter being our case.Here we document the first reported case of a patient with primary T-cell lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder. Review of the literature shows the existence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder, its rarity and its general dismal prognosis.     

Surgery for melanoma metastases of the gastrointestinal tract: Indications and results

Aim

To assess survival, morbidity and mortality following therapeutic or palliative resection of gastrointestinal (GI) tract melanoma metastases.

Methods

A retrospective case series of 117 patients who underwent surgical resection of GI melanoma metastases between 1981 and 2005 was reviewed.

Results

The 117 patients underwent 142 operations for acute and/or sub-acute symptoms or for imminently symptomatic GI metastases detected radiologically. The intent of the surgery was palliative in 53 (37.3%) and therapeutic in 89 (62.7%) operations. The most common symptoms were due to anaemia (40.8%) or bowel obstruction (32.4%). The most frequently performed operation was small bowel resection (76.8%). Preoperative imaging and/or endoscopy were used in 83 cases, with computerised tomography (CT) being most frequent (85.5%). CT had a sensitivity of 68.8% when used alone to detect the presence of GI metastases in the study population. The mortality rate following GI resection was 1.4%, and 2.5% of patients had post-operative complications. Overall 5-year survival was 27%. On multivariate analysis, the presence of residual intraabdominal disease and the presence of non-GI metastases at the time of surgery or after surgery were the most significant prognostic indicators of survival.

Conclusions

Resection of GI melanoma metastases is safe, relieves symptoms and can achieve prolonged remission. In patients with limited disease, an aggressive surgical approach to symptomatic or imminently symptomatic GI melanoma metastases is warranted.     

Gastrointestinal cancer and brain metastasis: a rare and ominous sign

Metastatic brain tumors represent 20% to 40% of all intracranial neoplasms and are found most frequently in association with lung cancer (50%) and breast cancer (12%). Although brain metastases occur in <4% of all tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the incidence of GI brain metastasis is rising in part due to more effective systemic treatments and prolonged survival of patients with GI cancer. Data were collected from 25 studies (11 colorectal, 7 esophageal, 2 gastric, 1 pancreatic, 1 intestinal, 3 all-inclusive GI tract cancer) and 13 case reports (4 pancreatic, 4 gallbladder, and 5 small bowel cancer). Brain metastases are found in 1% of colorectal cancer, 1.2% of esophageal cancer, 0.62% of gastric cancer, and 0.33% of pancreatic cancer cases. Surgical resection with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) has been associated with the longest median survival (38.4-262 weeks) compared with surgery alone (16.4-70.8 weeks), stereotactic radiosurgery (20-38 weeks), WBRT alone (7.2-16 weeks), or steroids (4-7 weeks). Survival in patients with brain metastasis from GI cancer was found to be diminished compared with metastases arising from the breast, lung, or kidney. Prolonged survival and improvement in clinical symptoms has been found to be best achieved with surgical resection and WBRT. Although early treatment has been linked to prolonged survival and improved quality of life, brain metastases represent a late manifestation of GI cancers and remain an ominous sign.     

Unique pineal gland metastasis of clear cell renal carcinoma: case report and review of the literature

The metastatic involvement of the pineal gland is an extremely unusual event; it has a 4% incidence in patients with disseminated neoplasias. Most metastatic pineal lesions are asymptomatic. Only in a small number of cases the symptoms produced by metastatic involvement of this organ precede those of the primary tumor or those of another metastatic site. To our knowledge the herein reported case is the first in which the pineal gland was apparently the unique metastatic site of a primitive kidney carcinoma and where the symptoms produced by metastasis in the pineal region were the first sign of the disease.