Primary versus Metastatic Gastrointestinal Melanoma: A Rare Case and Review of Current Literature

Abstract EN

Gastrointestinal (GI) melanomas are a rare diagnostic entity.

Although there have been cases of melanomas solely in the GI tract, many debate their true origin: the gut versus a distant, undetected primary lesion that regressed known as melanoma of unknown primary.

We present a case that involved diagnosing a GI melanoma and then backtracking to find a possible primary source.

We review the most recent literature regarding possible etiologies of primary GI melanomas and how to differentiate whether it has a primary, metastatic, or unknown origin.