Radical resection of primary malignant melanoma of the gallbladder with multiple metastases: Report of a case

Abstract

We present herein an usual case of primary malignant melanoma of the gallbladder in a 51-year-old man in whom an exploratory laparotomy for melena revealed six malignant melanoma lesions located in the gallbladder, main pancreatic duct, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and a mesenteric lymph node. Total pancreatectomy was performed and histologically, junctional activity was seen only in the gallbladder, suggesting that this was the primary site. No melanotic lesions were found on the skin or eyes. The metastases to the main pancreatic duct and gastrointestinal tract appeared likely to have occurred as a consequence of the mucosal dissemination of the tumor cells shed into the bile. The post-operative course was uneventful and combined chemotherapy was administered for 16 months. No new metastatic lesions were found until 21 months postoperatively, when metastases were detected in the brain and thoracic spinal cord. These metastatic tumors were removed surgically, but the patient died from cerebral disturbance 26 months after the initial operation. Thus, we consider that aggressive surgical therapy was effective for extending the survival time and improving the quality of life of this patient.

Renal cell carcinoma with metastases to the gallbladder: Four cases from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and review of the literature

“…No strong associations between gallbladder and pancreatic metastasis from other cancers have been previously described. In our search of the literature, only two isolated cases of gallbladder and pancreatic metastases were found: one from metastatic lobar carcinoma of the breast and another from malignant melanoma [16,17]. …”

Metastatic melanoma of the gallbladder: report of two cases and a review of the literature

“…In fact, the metastases to the gastrointestinal tract are likely to occur as a consequence of the spreading of tumor cells shed into the bile [8,9,22].…”

Metastatic Melanoma in the Gallbladder: Report of a Case

“…Hatanaka et al reported an unusual case of primary malignant melanoma of the gallbladder in a 51-year-old man in whom an exploratory laparotomy for melena revealed six malignant melanoma lesions in the gallbladder, main pancreatic duct, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and a mesenteric lymph node with junctional activity only in the gallbladder. 4 The potential for melanoma to develop in mucosa such as that of the esophagus, rectum, vagina, and gallbladder is explained by the migration of melanocytes during embryogenesis from the nerve crest to endodermic tissues. 5 Distinguishing primary from secondary melanoma is very difficult, as it demands careful dermatological and ophthalmological examination of the patient, while clinical, imaging, and histologic findings can confirm the diagnosis.…”