Primary anorectal malignant melanoma.

Eleven patients with primary anorectal melanoma were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical symptoms and signs were rather unspecific; bleeding in nine, a palpable mass in five, and local pain in three patients. Two patients had the tumor diagnosed accidentally. In all patients the primary tumor was in an advanced stage. A summary of the histopathological characteristics is given in all patients. Six patients were subjected to abdominal perineal resection, four to local excision, and one to a colostomy followed by radiotherapy. All patients developed metastatic disease after a median time of 10 months. The median survival time was 14 months after both abdominal perineal resection and local excision. One patient is still alive after 11 years. Pertinent data form the literature are given.