Primary malignant melanoma of the gastrointestinal tract : a case report and review of the literature

Although most gastrointestinal melanomas are metastatic of origin, primary malignant melanomas of the gastrointestinal tract do exist. Over the last ten years, we encountered six patients with primary malignant melanoma of the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The literature is reviewed, the pathophysiological aspects of these tumours are described and the surgical treatment is discussed.