A rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in an elderly patient: Primary duodenal malignant melanoma

摘要

Malignant melanoma is a cutaneous tumor which originates from melanocytes. It is the most common tumor metastasizing to the gastrointestinal tract and may generally present with nonspecific symptoms. The prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) involvement varies between 1 and 4 % in patients with malignant melanoma [1]. Primary melanomas of the mucosa may behave aggressively and may have poor prognosis, despite the fact that they are diagnosed at early stages. Their clinical symptoms are usually similar to those caused by other GI tumors such as mild to severe abdominal pain, fatigue, dysphagia, constipation, tenesmus, small bowel obstruction, hematemesis, and melena [2]. We present a rare cause of malignant melanoma evolving as a duodenal tumor leading to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We have also discussed relevant literature of gastrointestinal bleeding due to primary malignant melanoma.