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Article: Primary malignant melanoma of anorectum: A rare entity
- Article from:
- Indian Journal of Cancer
- Article date:
- October 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd. 2009. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Sir,
Melanoma of anus and / or rectum is a rare but highly malignant tumor with poor prognosis. This disease is often mistaken for benign diseases, such as, hemorrhoids or rectal polyps, as they are the most common causes of bleeding per rectum. [1] Because the disease is very uncommon, the treatment is not well defined. The response of anorectal melanoma to radiotherapy and chemotherapy is poor and optimum surgical treatment is controversial.
A 60-year-old man presented with complaints of bleeding per rectum and protrusion of a mass during defecation for the last 10 months. He also developed pain during defecation over the last four months, with loss of weight and appetite. The patient was ...