A comparison of wide local excision with abdominoperineal resection in anorectal melanoma

Surgical Management of Primary Anorectal Melanoma: Is Less More?

PURPOSE

Ano-uro-genital (AUG) Mucosal Melanoma UK guidelines recommended a less radical surgical strategy for anorectal melanoma (ARM) where possible. We report our experience of ARM consistent with that approach including clinical presentation, intervention undertaken and prognosis.

METHODS

We present a retrospective study of 15 consecutive patients with ARM surgically treated between November 2014 and April 2023. Patients were divided into the two surgery types: wide local excision (WLE, n = 9) and abdominoperineal resection (APR, n = 6). Data on demographics, diagnosis, treatment and oncological outcomes were assessed between the groups.

RESULTS

The mean age was 65.3 ± 17.4 years and 6 (40.0%) were female patients. Nine patients (60.0%) were diagnosed with stage I and six patients (40.0%) with stage II disease. R0 margins were achieved in all cases. The overall mean length of stay was lower following WLE compared to APR (2.6 ± 2.4 days versus 14.0 ± 9.8 days, p = 0.032). Two complications were observed in the WLE group compared to four complications after APR (p = 0.605). Five patients (55.5%) developed local/distant recurrence in the WLE group compared to three patients (50.0%) in the APR group (p = 0.707), with a median overall survival of 38.5 (12-83) months versus 26.5 (14-48) months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving clear margins by the least radical fashion may have equivalent oncological outcomes to radical surgery, potentially reducing patient morbidity and preserving function. In our experience, the surgical management of ARM consistent with the 'less is more' approach adhering to AUG guidelines has acceptable outcomes.

Long recurrence-free survival of localized rectal melanoma after abdominoperineal resection in comparison to partial excision and highlighting the place of immunotherapy: A case report

Rectal malignant melanomas (RMM) are remarkably uncommon, the rectal location represents less than one percent of all rectal cancer. Because of its low global survival rate, the surgical strategy is a subject of controversy for attaining a r0 resection. the palliative treatment is also debateable, but recently; radiotherapy and immunotherapy became the preferred treatment and offer the best outcome. to ensure r0 resection, abdominoperineal resection (apr) is considered the main surgical option, but because of its morbidity and functional limitations, local excision techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection (emr) combined with chemoradiotherapy are being increasingly performed to preserve the quality of life and reduce local recurrence rate. In this report, we evaluate the place that apr still keeps as surgical procedure in comparison to partial excision. we report a case of a 72 years old patient, who presented rectal syndrome with rectorrhagia for 2 months, the diagnosis of localized rectal melanoma was confirmed by endoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, histological analysis tissue with immunohistochemistry. the procedure strategy was a surgical treatment with apr. After a long recurrence-free survival period, the patient develops local recurrence and immunotherapy-resistant metastasis.

Extensive resection improves overall and disease-specific survival in localized anorectal melanoma: A SEER-based study

Background

Anorectal melanoma is a rare tumor with a dismal prognosis. The only promising treatment for anorectal melanoma is surgery, either extensive resection (ER) or local excision (LE). However, the optimal extent of resection is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the survival outcomes of anorectal melanoma at different stages are influenced by the surgical approaches (LE or ER) using the National Institute of Health's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database.

Methods

The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was queried to identify patients treated for anorectal melanoma (2000–2018). Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) outcomes were compared for the two surgical approaches (ER or LE) stratified by stage (localized, regional and distant).

Results

A total of 736 patients were included in the study. Details of previous surgical procedures were available for 548 of the study patients: 360 (65.7%) underwent LE, and 188 (34.3%) underwent ER. In localized cases, 199 underwent LE, and 48 underwent ER. The OS (median 45 vs. 29 months, 5-year rate 41.7% vs. 23.4%) and DSS (median 66 vs. 34 months, 5-year rate 51% vs. 30.7%) of patients undergoing ER were significantly better (p = 0.009 and 0.041, respectively) than those who received LE. Multivariate analysis showed that the type of surgery was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DSS. Among the regional cases, 89 cases had LE, and 96 cases had ER. Patients with regional disease who underwent ER had no significant differences in OS (23 vs. 21 months; p = 0.866) or DSS (24 vs. 24 months; p = 0. 907) compared to patients who underwent LE. In distant cases, 72 cases had LE, and 44 cases had ER. Patients with metastatic disease who had ER also had similar OS (median 11 vs. 8 months; p = 0.36) and DSS (median 11 vs. 8 months; p = 0.593) to those who underwent LE.

Conclusion

Extensive resection can improve the long-term prognosis of localized anorectal melanoma compared to local excision, but the prognosis of the two surgical techniques is comparable in both regional patients and distant patients.

Impact of adjuvant therapies following surgery for anal melanoma

BACKGROUND

Anal melanoma is rare. Surgery is standard of care for non-metastatic disease. There are limited data supporting adjuvant therapy. We sought to examine the impact of adjuvant radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy on survival.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was queried. Factors associated with overall survival were examined by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Patients were grouped by treatment regimen.

RESULTS

450 patients had complete treatment data: surgery alone (63.8%), surgery + radiation (14.9%), surgery + chemotherapy (7.6%), surgery + immunotherapy (9.6%) and non-surgical treatment (4.2%). Median survival was 27.2 months. Node-positive patients had worse survival than node-negative (22.4 vs. 36.8 months; p = 0.0002). Non-surgical treatment yielded worse survival than any surgery-inclusive regimen (10.4 vs. 27.8 months; p = 0.0002). No adjuvant modality conferred a survival advantage. By multivariate analysis, increasing age (HR/1 year = 1.02, p = 0.012) and node positivity (HR = 2.10, p = 0.0002) negatively impacted survival.

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant therapy for non-metastatic anal melanoma does not appear to influence survival.

Surgical treatment of anorectal melanoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Anorectal melanoma is a rare neoplasm with a poor prognosis. The surgical approaches for anorectal melanoma can be categorized into local excision (procedures without lymph node removal and preservation of the rectum) and extensive resection (procedures with rectum and pararectal lymph node removal). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the survival of patients who underwent extensive resection with that of patients who underwent local excision, stratifying patients according to tumour stage.

Methods

A literature review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines by searching MEDLINE/PubMed for manuscripts published until March 2021. Studies comparing survival outcomes in patients with anorectal melanoma who underwent local excision versus extensive resection were screened for eligibility. Meta-analysis was performed for overall survival after the different surgical approaches, stratified by tumour stage.

Results

There were 347 studiesidentified of which 34 were included for meta-analysis with a total of 1858 patients. There was no significant difference in overall survival between the surgical approaches in patients per stage (stage I odds ratio 1.30 (95 per cent c.i. 0.62 to 2.72, P = 0.49); stage II odds ratio 1.61 (95 per cent c.i. 0.62 to 4.18, P = 0.33); stage I–III odds ratio 1.19 (95 per cent c.i. 0.83 to 1.70, P = 0.35). Subgroup analyses were conducted for the time intervals (<2000, 2001–2010 and 2011–2021) and for continent of study origin. Subgroup analysis for time interval and continent of origin also showed no statistically significant differences in overall survival.

Conclusion

No significant survival benefit exists for patients with anorectal melanoma treated with local excision or extensive resection, independent of tumour stage.

Anorectal Melanoma-Brownish Black Mass Not Always a Hemorrhoid

The non-specific clinical symptoms of anorectal brownish-black mass do not help to differentiate colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, rectal ulcers which result in a delayed diagnosis or lead to inadequate management of lethal anorectal melanoma. Primary malignant melanoma of the anorectal region is an uncommon tumor, constituting approximately 1% of anal canal tumors which may be misdiagnosed clinically as hemorrhoids. Because of aggressive behavior and poor prognosis, efficient and prompt diagnosis is required in these cases. We report 2 cases of this rare tumor.

Clinical and oncological outcomes of surgery in Anorectal melanoma in Asian population: A 15 year analysis at a tertiary cancer institute

INTRODUCTION

Anorectal malignant melanoma (ARMM) is an aggressive malignancy with dismal prognosis and a 5-year survival rate less than 20% in most of the previous studies. The ideal surgical treatment has still remained controversial. This retrospective study aims at analysing the outcome in patients with ARMM treated with curative surgical resection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study of 38 patients of stage I anorectal malignant melanoma treated with curative surgical resection at our tertiary cancer institute.

RESULTS

WLE (Wide Local Excision) was carried out in 12 patients and APR (abdominoperineal resection) was done in 26 patients. The median overall survival of the entire group in this study was 20 months. Although the median overall survival of WLE patients was higher than those with APR (37 months versus 16 months, respectively), this was not a statistically significant event (P=0.317). The 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were similar with both APR and WLE with no significant difference in the 5-year survival rate (P=0.816); overall 5-year survival rate of just 13%. There were 3 long-term survivors in this study group who survived for more than 10 years.

CONCLUSION

Most patients ultimately succumb to the disease regardless of the management. Both APR and WLE have significant roles in the management depending on the subset of patients selected. Local treatment should be preferred wherever possible. Abdominoperineal resection should be offered in nodal disease or in a recurrent setting.

Anorectal Mucosal Melanoma in the Era of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition: Should We Change Our Surgical Management Paradigm?

BACKGROUND

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy has dramatically improved survival in patients with skin melanoma. Survival outcomes after resection of anorectal melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibition have not been reported.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare survival outcomes following surgical resection of anorectal melanoma between patients who received immune checkpoint inhibition and patients who did not.

DESIGN

This study is a retrospective analysis of data from a prospectively maintained database.

SETTING

This study was conducted at a comprehensive cancer center.

PATIENTS

Patients who underwent surgery for anorectal melanoma between 2006 and 2017 were included. They were stratified according to the use of immune checkpoint inhibition.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes measured were overall and disease-specific survival.

RESULTS

Of the 47 patients included in the analysis, 29 (62%) received immune checkpoint inhibition therapy. Twenty-two (76%) of the 29 patients received immune checkpoint inhibition after detection of metastasis or disease progression rather than in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Overall survival did not differ significantly between patients who received immune checkpoint inhibition therapy and patients who did not (median, 52 and 20 months; 5-year rate, 41% vs 35%; p = 0.25). Disease-specific survival also did not differ significantly. Our analysis did not identify any clinical or pathological features associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibition therapy or with survival.

LIMITATIONS

This study was limited by its relatively small sample and retrospective design and by the heterogeneous treatment regimen in the immune checkpoint inhibition group.

CONCLUSIONS

Immune checkpoint inhibition therapy by itself does not appear to improve survival in patients who undergo resection or excision of anorectal melanoma. Combinations of immune checkpoint inhibition with other therapeutic modalities warrant further investigation. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B499. MELANOMA DE LA MUCOSA ANORRECTAL EN LA ERA DE LOS INHIBIDORES DEL PUNTO DE CONTROL INMUNOLÓGICO: ¿DEBEMOS DE CAMBIAR NUESTRO PARADIGMA DEL MANEJO QUIRÚRGICO: El advenimiento de la terapia de los inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico, han mejorado dramáticamente la supervivencia en pacientes con melanoma de piel. No se han informado los resultados de supervivencia después de la resección del melanoma anorrectal, tratado con inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico.Comparar los resultados de supervivencia después de la resección quirúrgica de melanoma anorrectal entre pacientes que recibieron y no recibieron inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico.Análisis retrospectivo de una base de datos mantenida prospectivamente.Centro oncológico integral.Pacientes que se sometieron a cirugía por melanoma anorrectal entre 2006 y 2017. Los pacientes fueron estratificados según el uso de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico.Supervivencia global y específica de la enfermedad.De los 47 pacientes incluidos en el análisis, 29 (62%) recibieron terapia de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico. Veintidós (76%) de los 29 pacientes recibieron inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico después de la detección de metástasis o progresión de la enfermedad, en vez de administración adyuvante o neoadyuvante. La supervivencia global no varió significativamente entre los pacientes que recibieron o no recibieron terapia de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico (mediana, 52 y 20 meses, respectivamente; tasa a 5 años, 41% frente a 35%, respectivamente; p = 0,25). La supervivencia específica de la enfermedad tampoco varió significativamente. Nuestro análisis no identificó ninguna característica clínica o patológica, asociada con la respuesta a la terapia de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico o con la supervivencia.Muestra relativamente pequeña y diseño retrospectivo. Régimen de tratamiento heterogéneo en el grupo de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico.La terapia por sí sola, de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico, no parece mejorar la supervivencia en pacientes que se someten a resección o escisión de melanoma anorrectal. Las combinaciones de inhibidores del punto de control inmunológico con otras modalidades terapéuticas, merecen una mayor investigación. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B499. (Traducción-Dr. Fidel Ruiz Healy).

Metastatic anorectal malignant melanoma causing ileocaecal junction obstruction due to contiguous spread

Malignant melanoma of the anal canal is a rare and aggressive tumour associated with significant mortality. Early diagnosis and early curative surgical resection have shown to offer a survival advantage. We present a case of 53-year-old woman, who was accidentally diagnosed to have a localised lesion of malignant melanoma of the anal canal on histopathology report of the specimen of haemorrhoidectomy done for thrombosed external haemorrhoids. She refused any form of treatment and did not return for follow-up. Two years after the initial diagnosis, she presented with intestinal obstruction. The malignant melanoma had become advanced with multiple metastases to the lungs, the liver, the peritoneum and the spine. The patient underwent a diverting loop ileostomy. At the time of surgery, it was found that the primary malignant melanoma of anal canal had contiguously involved the entire large intestine up to the ileocaecal junction and hence transverse colostomy could not be done.

A Rare Case of Primary Anorectal Melanoma and a Review of the Current Landscape of Therapy

INTRODUCTION

Anorectal mucosal melanoma (ARMM) is an uncommon and highly aggressive malignancy. Given its rarity, there is insufficient evidence on the optimal medical management which presents as a clinical challenge to its diagnosis and treatment. Treatment of ARMM typically involves a multimodal approach including surgical resection, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and/or immunotherapy.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here, we present a case of a 78-year-old female who presented with a four-month history of rectal bleeding and bowel incontinence. Ultimately, colonoscopy revealed a mass at the anal verge, and biopsy of the mass showed malignant cells that stained positive for S100, Melan-A and HMB-45, consistent with the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Molecular testing revealed no BRAF, KIT or NRAS gene mutations. PD-L1 immunohistochemistry showed tumor proportion score of 1%. She underwent abdominoperineal resection with a plan to initiate immunotherapy with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor. This case highlights a rare aggressive malignancy and reviews its treatment option, which are mostly extrapolated from its cutaneous counterpart and some derived from a few case reports. Due to its rarity, there is no consensus guideline for the treatment of ARMM.

Management and outcomes of primary anorectal melanoma in the United States

Aims: To analyze outcomes in primary anorectal melanoma, a rare disease with limited data and treatment guidelines. Materials & methods: We analyzed 305 subjects in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2015. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Results: Surgery was predictive of OS (median 2.24 vs 1.18 years; p = 0.009) with no survival difference between local and transabdominal approaches (p = 0.77). No OS benefit was seen with chemotherapy (p = 0.16), radiotherapy (p = 0.31) or adjuvant therapy post surgery (p > 0.05 for all groups). Targeted therapy trended toward higher survival in metastatic patients (1.33 vs 0.55 years; p = 0.06). Conclusion: In nonmetastatic patients, surgery of any method is associated with a survival benefit. The trend for improved survival following targeted therapy in metastatic patients merits further exploration.

Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Arising from Primary Anorectal Melanoma

Anorectal melanoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Anorectal melanoma makes up approximately 1 to 3% of all anorectal malignancies. There are no known risk factors for anorectal melanoma. Patients frequently experience a delay in diagnosis due to multiple factors including nonspecific symptoms and misdiagnosis for other benign entities. Anorectal melanoma has a high potential for distant metastases and radiographic imaging plays a key role in evaluating for metastatic disease. Common sites for metastasis include pelvic lymph nodes, lungs, liver, skin, and brain. We present a case report of a 75 year old female with a history of transanal excision of primary anorectal melanoma who presented with increasing abdominal pain and distention. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed metastatic disease to the peritoneum with findings of extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis, demonstrating the aggressive nature of anorectal melanoma.

Transperineal abdominoperineal resection for anorectal melanoma: A case report

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Anorectal malignant melanoma is rare and prone to metastasis.

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An anorectal melanoma was resected via transperineal abdominoperineal resection (TpAPR).

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The patient remained disease-free until the 24-month follow-up.

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TpAPR/total mesorectal excision (TME) for anorectal melanoma appears to be a feasible approach.

Introduction

Anorectal melanoma is a rare type of cancer characterized by frequent metastasis. We report our experience with a case of anorectal melanoma resected via transperineal abdominoperineal resection and total mesorectal excision.

Presentation of case

A 77-year-old woman visited our hospital with the complaint of melena. Colonoscopic examination revealed a black type 1 tumor measuring 5 mm in size on the dentate line of the anal canal circumference. Tumor biopsy revealed malignant melanoma, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed tracer accumulation within the mass but not at other sites. We performed a two-stage abdominoperineal resection surgery with lymphadenectomy via transperineal abdominoperineal resection, and pathological diagnosis indicated submucosal tumor depth. The patient was diagnosed with T2 N0 M0 stage I malignant melanoma and was followed on an outpatient basis. A 24-month follow-up computed tomography revealed multiple liver metastases.

Discussion

Anorectal melanoma is associated with a very poor prognosis because of its association with early lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. The tumor may spread beyond the main lesion and involve the surrounding mucosa and draining lymph nodes. Transperineal abdominoperineal resection is a minimally invasive procedure that can be used to achieve curative tumor resection with lymphadenectomy.

Conclusion

Transperineal abdominoperineal resection appears to be a feasible approach for the treatment of anorectal melanoma.

Primary anorectal melanoma: clinical, immunohistology and DNA analysis of 43 cases

Primary melanoma involving the anorectal region is rare, accounting for <1% of all melanomas in most Western countries. It characteristically presents at an advanced clinical stage and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Preliminary reports suggest that response rates to immunotherapies in patients with advanced stage mucosal melanoma are much lower than in cutaneous (or acral) melanoma patients but reasons for this are unclear. Comprehensive characterisation of the immune microenvironment in anorectal melanoma has not previously been performed. A single-institution cohort of 43 primary anorectal melanoma patients was examined to describe clinicopathological features and characterise the immune microenvironment to provide insights into the behaviour of this rare melanoma subtype. The tumours displayed multiple adverse prognostic attributes including deep thickness (median 11.5 mm), ulceration (81%) and high mitotic rate (median 12/mm²). The median overall survival was 24 months and the median recurrence-free survival was 9 months. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were absent or mild in most tumours (75%); PD-L1 positive staining (>1% of tumour cells) was present in 44% of cases, however in 86% of positive tumours the percentage of positive cells was ≤10%. Four tumours underwent whole genome sequencing; no ultraviolet signature was identified, and there was a lower mutational load but higher structural chromosomal variant load compared with cutaneous melanomas. Poor responses of anorectal melanomas to immunotherapy may be caused by lower immunogenicity of these tumours as characterised by low mutation burden (and therefore low neoantigenicity), low TILs infiltrates and low PD-L1 expression. Further investigation is required to determine whether TILs and PD-L1 expression predict response to immunotherapy in patients with mucosal melanoma.

Anorectal Malignant Melanoma: Retrospective Analysis of Six Patients and Review of the Literature

Malignant melanomas are rare aggressive tumours originating from the pigment-producing melanocytes. In our study, a review of the literature and a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing surgery at our clinic due to anorectal malignant melanoma were performed. The information of 6 patients undergoing surgery in our clinic due to anorectal malignant melanoma between January 2010 and January 2018 was retrieved retrospectively. The patients were assessed regarding demographic data, physical examination and imaging findings, the surgical method performed, postoperative complication, histopathological findings, oncological treatment and follow-up results. Four of the patients were female and 2 were male and the mean age was 61.6 (46–83) years. Two patients (33%) had liver metastases at the time of initial presentation. Abdominoperineal resection (APR) was performed in all patients 3 with laparoscopic method. The mean length of hospital stay was recorded to be 6.5 ± 1 days (5–12 days). Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered in all patients. Also, interferon treatment was administered in one patient additionally. During the follow-up, 4 patients died due to extensive metastatic disease determined approximately in the 13th month. Two patients with regular follow-up are well and free of disease and their mean postoperative lifetime has been determined to be 12.5 months (6–26 months). Anorectal malignant melanomas (ARMM) are rare but aggressive tumours. The treatment should be focused on minimizing morbidity and maximizing the quality of life and function while removing the gross tumour.

[Anorectal malignant melanoma : Treatment recommendations]

BACKGROUND

Anorectal malignant melanoma is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis. Typical symptoms (bleeding, pain, perianal mass) are characteristic of hemorrhoids. This, together with the high rate of amelanotic tumors, often delays diagnosis. No therapy guidelines exist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on our own experience of surgically treated patients and an extensive literature search, we present a stage-dependent therapeutic concept.

RESULTS

Eight patients (six women) with a mean age of 65 ± 8 years were treated at our institution. Six underwent abdominoperineal resection; two had local excision. Two patients additionally underwent inguinal lymph node dissection. Median survival was 12 months with a disease-free survival of 6 months. Forty treatment studies with a total of 1,970 cases could be identified. Prognostic factors are age, time to correct diagnosis, tumor extent, tumor stage, and perineural invasion. The impact of lymph node metastases and R0 resection varies. Surgery is the only effective therapy. Local excision is sufficient when free resection margins are achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

Locally limited tumors should be resected; if possible using local excision. Larger tumors or tumors with sphincter infiltration often require abdominoperineal resection with curative intent. When regional lymph node metastases are present, we advise regional lymphadenectomy of the affected area. In the case of distant metastases, palliative surgery is needed for metastasectomy and in cases of incontinence or refractory pain.

Abdominal perineal resection or wilde local excision in primary anorectal malignant melanoma. Case report and review

Introduction

Primary anorectal malignant melanoma is a rare and aggressive tumor that carries a poor prognosis. Anorectal melanoma (ARM) is often misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids adenocarcinoma polips and rectal cancer. ARM spreads along sub-mucosal planes and is often to wide-spread for complete resection at time of diagnosis and almost all patients die because of metastases.

Presentation of the case

A 77-year-old male patient presented a history of recurrent rectal bleeding and whose histopathological diagnosis was melanoma.

Discussion

The treatment of choice remains controversial. Surgery with complete resection represents the typical treatment. However standard operative procedures related to the area of resection and lymph dissection have yet to be established. Abdominal perineal resection (APR) with or without bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy or wide local excision (WLE) have been used to manage patients with ARM.

Conclusion

The higher serum levels of LDH and YKL-40 are suggestive for Anorectal Melanoma diagnosis. The decrease of these findings may be associated with good prognosis. The review of both APR and WLE options suggests no significant difference in survival among patients.

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Anorectal melanoma (ARM) is a systemic disease.

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Regardless how aggressive is ARM, no surgical treatment will truly change the outcome.

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If surgical teqchniques are available, patients should undergo to wide local excision.

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In case of recurrence, the abdominal resection should be considered as the best surgical treatment.

Synchronous Primary Anorectal Melanoma and Sigmoid Adenocarcinoma

A primary anorectal malignant melanoma is a rare tumor. Moreover, cases involving a synchronous anorectal melanoma and colon adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. The authors report a case of a synchronous anorectal melanoma and sigmoid adenocarcinoma in an 84-year-old man. The regions of the anorectal melanoma showed melanocytic nevi in the adjacent mucosa of the anal canal and rectum. A dysplastic nevus was also identified in the anal mucosa. This case demonstrates that an anorectal melanoma can arise from pre-existing anorectal melanocytic lesions.

Synchronous Primary Anorectal Melanoma and Sigmoid Adenocarcinoma

A primary anorectal malignant melanoma is a rare tumor. Moreover, cases involving a synchronous anorectal melanoma and colon adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. The authors report a case of a synchronous anorectal melanoma and sigmoid adenocarcinoma in an 84-year-old man. The regions of the anorectal melanoma showed melanocytic nevi in the adjacent mucosa of the anal canal and rectum. A dysplastic nevus was also identified in the anal mucosa. This case demonstrates that an anorectal melanoma can arise from pre-existing anorectal melanocytic lesions.

Assessment of Melanocyte Density in Anorectal Mucosa for the Evaluation of Surgical Margins in Primary Anorectal Melanoma

OBJECTIVES

Accurate histopathologic evaluation of surgical resection margins for anorectal melanoma (AM) is diagnostically challenging but essential to clinical management. We studied intraepithelial melanocyte density and growth pattern in anorectal mucosa and BRAF V600E mutation status in AM compared to controls.

METHODS

Histomorphology and melanocytic immunostains, microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) and human melanoma black 45 (HMB45), were evaluated. Utility of VE1 immunostaining for determination of BRAF V600E mutation status was studied.

RESULTS

Immunostains aid in the distinction between "trailing" melanoma in situ (MIS) and benign melanocyte hyperplasia (BMH), by facilitating assessment of melanocyte density, and evaluation of nuclear atypia and growth pattern. While respective melanocyte densities overlapped, "trailing" MIS could be distinguished by melanocyte nuclear atypia and near confluent growth, compared to the banal cytology and scattered growth of BMH.

CONCLUSIONS

In the histopathologic assessment of AM resections, MITF and HMB45 immunostains aid in distinguishing between "trailing" MIS and BMH, by highlighting melanocyte density, nuclear atypia, and growth pattern, with the latter two being reliable features. VE1 showed nonspecific immunopositivity in anorectal glandular epithelium, a potential diagnostic pitfall when assessing BRAF mutation status.

Incidence, Surgical Treatment, and Prognosis of Anorectal Melanoma From 1973 to 2011: A Population-Based SEER Analysis

Anorectal melanoma (AM) is a rare type of melanoma that accounts for 0.4% to 1.6% of total malignant melanomas. The incidence of AM increases over time, and it remains highly lethal, with a 5-year survival rate of 6% to 22%. Considering the rare nature of this disease, most studies on AM comprise isolated case reports and single-center trials, which could not provide comprehensive assessment of the disease. Therefore, we conducted a population-based study by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to provide the latest and best available evidence of AM.We extracted all cases of AM registered in the SEER database from 1973 to 2011 (April 2014 release) and calculated age-adjusted incidence. Only cases with active follow-up were included to predict factors associated with prognosis. Survival outcomes were also compared among different types of surgery.We identified 640 AM cases, which consisted of 265 rectal melanoma and 375 anal melanoma. The estimated annual incidence rates of AM per 1 million population were 0.259 in males and 0.407 in females, and it increased with advanced age and over time. Tumor stage and surgical treatment were independent predictors of survival. Results implied that surgery improved the prognosis of patients with local- and regional-stage AM but could not prolong the survival of patients with distant-stage AM. Moreover, the outcome of less extensive excision was not statistically different from that of more extensive excision.This study provides an up-to-date estimation of the incidence and prognosis of AM by using SEER data. The incidence of AM continuously increases over time, despite its rarity. This disease also exhibits poor prognosis. Thus, AM must be further investigated in future studies. We also recommend surgery as the optimal treatment for local- and regional-stage AM patients but not for those with distant metastasis.

Primary anorectal malignant melanoma treated with endoscopic mucosal resection

Anorectal melanoma is a rare neoplasm that accounts for less than 1-4% of anorectal malignant tumors. The main therapeutic modality for anorectal melanoma is surgical treatment, with abdominoperineal resection or wide local excision being the most common approaches. A 77-year-old male with a history of cerebral infarction and hypertension presented with anal bleeding. Here, we report a case of anorectal melanoma treated by endoscopic mucosal resection with adjuvant interferon therapy rather than surgical resection. The patient has been disease-free for 5 years after endoscopic treatment.

Preliminary Suggestion about Staging of Anorectal Malignant Melanoma May Be Used to Predict Prognosis

PURPOSE

Anorectal malignant melanomas (AMM) are rare and have poor survival. The study aims to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of patients with AMM, and to devise a staging system predictive of survival outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study of 28 patients diagnosed with, and treated for AMM. Patients classified by clinical staging of mucosal melanoma (MM) were reclassified via rectal and anal TNM staging. Survival outcomes were compared among patients grouped by the three different staging systems.

RESULTS

The three staging systems were equated with similar figures for 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of patients diagnosed with stage I disease. Patients (n=19) diagnosed with MM stage II disease were reclassified by rectal TNM staging into three subgroups: IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. For these patients, both 5-year OS and 5-year DFS differed significantly between the subgroups IIIA and IIIC (OS: IIIA vs. IIIC, 66.7% vs. 0%, p=0.002; DFS: IIIA vs. IIIC, 51.4% vs. 0%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of prognosis in patients diagnosed with AMM and lymph node metastasis has improved by using rectal TNM staging, which includes information regarding the number of lymph node metastases.

The role of radiation therapy in melanoma

Although melanoma was historically thought to be radiation resistant, there are limited data to support the use of adjuvant radiation therapy for certain situations at increased risk for locoregional recurrence. High-risk primary tumor features include thickness, ulceration, certain anatomic locations, satellitosis, desmoplastic/neurotropic features, and head and neck mucosal and anorectal melanoma. Lentigo maligna can be effectively treated with either adjuvant or definitive radiation therapy. Some retrospective and prospective randomized studies support the use of adjuvant radiation to improve regional control after lymph node dissection for high-risk nodal metastatic disease. Consensus on the optimal radiation doses and fractionation is lacking.

Unexpected post-operative diagnosis of primary rectal melanoma. A case report

AIM

Anorectal melanoma (ARM) is a very uncommon and highly lethal malignancy. Due to its rarity and non-specific symptoms, preoperative diagnosis may be often erroneous and subsequent treatment inappropriate. We report a case of primary rectal melanoma and discuss the current diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

CASE REPORT

An 87-year-old man was admitted to our surgical unit with a history of progressive constipation, tenesmus, rectal bleeding and transanal mucous discharge. Preoperative investigations, including CT scan and colonoscopy with biopsy, were suggestive for locally advanced low rectal sarcoma and therefore the patient underwent abdominoperineal resection (APR). However, histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry resulted in a postoperative diagnosis of primary rectal melanoma. The patient died 6 months later due to local and systemic recurrence.

CONCLUSION

ARM should always be considered when unusual anorectal lesions are discovered. Regardless of the pathological stage and the extent of surgery, prognosis of ARM remains poor. Thus, whenever feasible, wide local excision is now the preferred treatment, since it is associated with lower postoperative morbidity and better quality of life compared to APR. In our case, although the initial diagnosis was incorrect, APR was justified by the local invasiveness and large size of the tumor.

The clinical features and optimal treatment of anorectal malignant melanoma

Anorectal malignant melanoma (AMM) is a very rare and aggressive disease. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical features of AMM, to understand treatment options, and optimal therapy by reviewing pertinent literature. Traditionally an abdominoperineal resection (APR) sacrificing the anal sphincter has been performed for radical resection of cancer, but recently, wide excision of AMM is attempted since quality of life after surgery is an important issue. Some authors reported that there was no difference in five-year survival between the patient who underwent an APR and wide excision. The goal of both APR and wide excision was to improve survival with R0 resection. Adjuvant chemoradiation therapy can be performed to achieve an R0 resection. AMM shows very poor prognosis. At this time, research on AMM is insufficient to suggest a treatment guideline. Thus, treatment options, and a therapeutic method should be selected carefully.

Primary anorectal malignant melanoma treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and sphincter-sparing surgery: A case report

Primary anorectal (PA) malignant melanoma (MM) is a rare disease associated with a high mortality rate. The most appropriate treatment strategy for PAMM remains controversial. A 55-year-old female patient, who was misdiagnosed with locally advanced rectal carcinoma, was treated with preoperative radiotherapy and concurrent oral capecitabine. During the therapy, grade 1 leukopenia occurred, however, there was no interruption to treatment. Following chemoradiotherapy, a computer tomography scan identified that the tumor had shrunk significantly and the original enlarged lymph nodes had disappeared. Eight weeks after completion of chemoradiotherapy, sphincter-sparing surgery was performed on the patient and based on the postoperative pathological result, MM was diagnosed. At the time of writing, the patient has survived disease-free for 15 months and at the most recent follow-up examination the Karnofsky Performance Scale score was 100. The therapeutic regimen of neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy together with sphincter-sparing surgery is considered to be an optimal choice for patients with PAMM. However, further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy and clinical utility of this therapeutic regimen.

Laparoscopic abdomino-perineal resection for patients with anorectal malignant melanoma: a report of 4 cases

Anorectal malignant melanoma is a very rare but lethal disease. Patients with anorectal malignant melanoma commonly complain for changes in bowel habits and rectal bleeding. Therefore, anorectal malignant melanoma is often misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids, polyp or rectal cancer. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for patients with anorectal malignant melanoma. However, whether abdominoperineal resection or wide local excision is the most appropriate surgical approach is still a controversial issue. Recently, with the great development of laparoscopic techniques, more and more operations can be performed by laparoscopic techniques. However, laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for management of anorectal malignant melanoma has been rarely reported. In this study, we reported 4 patients with anorectal malignant melanoma underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection. The outcomes of these patients were relatively good during a long time follow-up. Meanwhile, we reviewed the relevant studies with particular focus surgical treatment.

Anal versus rectal melanoma: does site of origin predict outcome?

BACKGROUND

Anatomic site is a predictive factor in subtypes of cutaneous and mucosal melanoma.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the clinical relevance of location of origin of anorectal melanoma as a prognostic factor.

DESIGN

With the use of a prospectively maintained database, clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes were compared according to the site of origin. SETTINGS, PATIENTS, INTERVENTIONS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients diagnosed with anorectal melanoma from 1994 to 2010. Tumors were defined as anal, anorectal, or rectal melanoma according to their anatomic relationship to the dentate line.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Clinicopathologic factors were compared by χ2 test. Time-to-event analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 96 patients included (41 with anal melanoma, 32 with anorectal melanoma, 23 with rectal melanoma), patients with rectal and anorectal mucosal melanoma had advanced primary tumors (median Breslow thickness, 12 mm and 8 mm, p = 0.002), whereas anal lesions could be found at earlier depths (median thickness, 6.5 mm). Patients with anal tumors more commonly underwent transanal excision (p < 0.02) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (p = 0.004) versus anorectal and rectal tumors. Patterns of recurrence were also distinct; nearly two-thirds of anorectal and rectal tumors recurred systemically, whereas anal melanoma more often recurred within the lymph nodes first (63%; p < 0.02). Recurrence occurred in 24 (59%) patients with anal tumors, 23 (72%) patients with anorectal tumors, and 16 (70%) patients with rectal tumors. Median overall survival was 22 months for anal melanoma, 28 months for anorectal melanoma, and 27 months for rectal melanoma. Recurrence and survival were not statistically different between the groups.

LIMITATIONS

This study is limited by small sample size and its retrospective nature.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the only series describing the outcomes of anorectal melanoma by anatomic location. Lesions at or proximal to the dentate line present with more advanced disease, possibly related to a delay in diagnosis. Lesions distal to the dentate line more commonly recur within lymph nodes, which may represent differences in nodal drainage. Irrespective of location, the long-term prognosis remains poor for all cases of anorectal melanoma.

Primary anorectal melanoma: A case report with extended follow-up

Background:

Anorectal melanoma is a rare and aggressive disease. The mainstay of treatment is usually surgical with curative or palliative intent, since radio- and chemotherapy do not really improve the outcome. The poor prognosis is attributable to delay in diagnosis and its inherent biologic aggressiveness.

Case Report:

We present a case of anorectal melanoma in a 68-year-old man who underwent solely abdominoperineal amputation and was doing well 30 months after surgery, without any evidence of recurrent disease.

Conclusions:

Treatment of anorectal melanoma should be by the least morbid means possible. Surgical procedure that can achieve a complete local excision and respect the functional aspects and quality of life of the patient remains the best therapeutic approach. No systemic regimen for metastatic anorectal melanoma is considered standard of care.

Anorectal melanoma

Anorectal melanoma is a disease that can be difficult to diagnose because of its unclear presentation. After diagnosis, the main treatment available is surgical resection. Sentinel lymph node mapping has an unclear role in its management. Adjuvant therapy has long been recommended; however, there are no strong data to support its use. Prognostic factors to help gauge survival are also not clear; nevertheless, there is a strong association between stage of disease and histologic perineal invasion. Anorectal melanoma is a very rare disease with a dismal prognosis.

Management of anorectal melanoma: report of 17 cases and literature review

BACKGROUND

Primary anorectal melanoma is a rare and aggressive disease. It accounts for 0.5% of all rectal tumors. They are very agressive tumors with poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to report the clinical and evolutionary profile and therapeutical approach of these tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 17 patients with anorectal melanoma diagnosed between January 1998 and December 2007 was performed. The signs and symptoms, diagnostic study, and surgical and medical treatments were analyzed.

RESULTS

The average age was 58 years. Sex ratio was 12 men per five women. Patients had symptoms present for an average of 6 months. The most common symptom was rectal bleeding. According to Slingluff classification, five patients had stage I (localized tumor), four cases had stage II (regional nodes metastasis), and eight cases had stage III (distant metastasis). Seven patients have radical surgery. Only two patients received adjuvant immunotherapy. Eight patients received palliative chemotherapy based on dacarbazine or cisplatinum. The median survival was 8 months.

CONCLUSION

Prognosis of anorectal melanoma is still very poor. However, some patients when treated by radical resection may experience long-term survival. The use of adjuvant immunotherapy needs large collaborative studies in view of the rarity of the tumor.

Primary rectal melanoma

Primary rectal melanoma is rare and only represents up to 4% of anorectal malignancies. The prognosis of such a diagnosis is significantly different to a metastatic melanoma deposit in the anorectal area and therefore differentiation between the two is of the utmost importance with regards to initial treatment and long-term management. Various immunohistochemical markers have been shown to be associated with primary melanoma and strongly aid in diagnosis. Surgical management is still widely disputed and multiple papers have been published comparing wide local excision with abdominoperineal resection. Here a case of primary rectal melanoma is presented with a brief discussion exploring diagnostic techniques, treatment options and prognostic factors.

Malignant melanoma arising from a perianal fistula and harbouring a BRAF gene mutation: a case report

Background

Melanoma of the anal region is a very uncommon disease, accounting for only 0.2-0.3% of all melanoma cases. Mutations of the BRAF gene are usually absent in melanomas occurring in this region as well as in other sun-protected regions. The development of a tumour in a longstanding perianal fistula is also extremely rare. More frequent is the case of a tumour presenting as a fistula, that is, the fistula being a consequence of the cancerous process, although we have found only two cases of fistula-generating melanomas reported in the literature.

Case Presentation

Here we report the case of a 38-year-old male who presented with a perianal fistula of four years of evolution. Histopathological examination of the fistulous tract confirmed the presence of malignant melanoma. Due to the small size and the central location of the melanoma inside the fistulous tract, we believe the melanoma reported here developed in the epithelium of the fistula once the latter was already formed. Resected sentinel lymph nodes were negative and the patient, after going through a wide local excision, remains disease-free nine years after diagnosis. DNA obtained from melanoma tissue was analysed by automated direct sequencing and the V600E (T1799A) mutation was detected in exon 15 of the BRAF gene.

Conclusion

Since fistulae experience persistent inflammation, the fact that this melanoma harbours a BRAF mutation strengthens the view that oxidative stress caused by inflammatory processes plays an important role in the genesis of BRAF gene mutations.

Anorectal malignant melanomas: experience of Uludag University

Anorectal melanomas represent a group of mucosal melanomas with unknown etiology and poor prognosis. The lesions can be misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids during clinical examination. We reviewed the morphological and clinical features of 14 anorectal melanomas, and discuss the treatment modalities of this entity. Fourteen patients who were diagnosed with anorectal malignant melanoma between 1997 and 2004 were evaluated with regard to age, sex, size, morphology, lymph node or distant metastasis, treatment modality and survival. Eight patients were female and six were male, and their mean age was 58 years. The size of melanoma ranged from 3 cm to 8 cm. Pathological evaluation revealed epithelioid and spindle cell type tumor in seven and two patients, respectively, whereas, in the remaining seven patients, the tumor was composed of both types. Pigmentation was apparent in all tumors. There was lymph node metastasis in 11 patients and distant metastasis in all patients. Eleven patients underwent abdominoperineal resection and three were treated by local excision. Mean survival was 8.7 months. Prognosis of anorectal melanoma remains poor. Awareness of the diverse clinicopathological features of these lesions, both on the part of the clinicians and pathologists, is crucial for their early detection and proper treatment.

Anorectal melanoma: diagnosis and treatment

An increase in the incidence of anorectal melanoma has recently been noted in the United States. Anorectal melanoma is an uncommon and lethal condition, with a median survival of <20 months. Unfortunately, nonspecific symptoms also attributable to common and benign conditions (eg, hemorrhoids) cause significant delay in its diagnosis. Although it has not been validated by clinical trials, abdominoperineal resection has historically been the treatment of choice for this disease. However, for the past 2 decades, a lack of clear survival benefit has led to a shift toward less-mutilating wide local excisions. Controversy still exists regarding the benefit of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Furthermore, the value of nodal surgery in anorectal melanoma is unclear. In this article, we review the history and current status of management of anorectal melanoma, with a particular focus on surgical controversies and challenges in optimizing survival.

Sphincter-sparing local excision and hypofractionated radiation therapy for anorectal melanoma: a 20-year experience

BACKGROUND

Anorectal melanoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. Because survival is determined by distant failure, many centers have adopted sphincter-sparing excision for primary tumor control. However, this approach is associated with high rates of local failure (∼50%). In this study, the authors report their 20-year experience with sphincter-sparing excision combined with radiation therapy (RT) for the treatment of localized anorectal melanoma.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the records of 54 patients with localized anorectal melanoma who were treated at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1989 to 2008. All patients underwent definitive local excision with or without sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymph node dissection. RT (25-36 grays in 5-6 fractions) was delivered to extended fields that targeted the primary site and draining pelvic/inguinal lymphatics in 39 patients and to limited fields that targeted only the primary site in 15 patients.

RESULTS

The 5-year rates of local control (LC), lymph node control (NC), and sphincter preservation were 82%, 88%, and 96%, respectively. However, because of the high rate of distant metastasis, the overall survival (OS) rate at 5 years was only 30%. Although there were no significant differences in LC, NC, or OS based on RT field extent, patients who received extended-field RT had higher rates of lymphedema than patients who received limited-field RT.

CONCLUSIONS

The current results indicated that combined sphincter-sparing local excision and RT is a well tolerated approach that provides effective LC for patients with anorectal melanoma. Inclusion of the inguinal lymph node basins in the RT fields did not improve outcomes and was associated with an increased risk of lymphedema.

Abdominoperineal resection or local excision? a survival analysis of anorectal malignant melanoma with surgical management

Patients with anorectal malignant melanoma (AMM) generally have an unfavorable prognosis, and surgical managements are still in controversy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical treatment for AMM in China and to compare the survival of abdominoperineal resection (APR) and local excision (LE) in patients with AMM. Between 1995 and 2007, 54 patients managed with curative surgical resection for AMM were reviewed, 39 patients underwent APR, and 15 patients underwent LE. Life table was carried out and Kaplan-Meier test was used to compare the effects of these two different surgical procedures in survival. The overall 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates after curative operation were 80, 54, 43, and 26%, respectively; LE group were 67, 48, 48, and 16%, and APR group were 84, 57, 42, and 30%, respectively. The median survival for all LE and APR were 25 months, 13 months, and 25 months, respectively. Kaplan-Meier test showed that there was no significant difference between APR and LE in survival (P=0.281); however, a 5-year survival advantage for the patients who underwent APR was found, despite the severity of tumor. Local recurrence after LE was more popular than APR (P=0.020). The prognosis of AMM after curative surgery is poor now, and patients undergoing APR have no significant survival advantage than those underwent LE. Local recurrence after LE was more popular than APR.

Anal melanoma

Anal melanoma is rare and aggressive malignancy. Patients commonly present with advanced, even metastatic disease. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, anal melanoma has no known risk factors. Surgical excision remains the cornerstone of therapy. There are no long-term survivors of stage II or III disease; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment remain crucial. There are no trials definitively proving abdominal perineal resection (APR) or wide local excision (WLE) to yield superior long-term survival. APR may offer a higher rate of local control, whereas WLE offers a much less morbid operation. Adjuvant chemotherapy, interferon, and radiation may offer some benefit.

Effect of misdiagnosis on the prognosis of anorectal malignant melanoma

OBJECTIVE

Anorectal malignant melanoma (AMM) is frequently subjected to misdiagnosis. Here the effect of misdiagnosis on the prognosis of AMM was investigated.

METHODS

Between 1995 and 2007, 79 patients managed for AMM were reviewed; 46 (58.23%) of them had been misdiagnosed during the symptoms, while 33 (41.77%) cases had been diagnosed exactly not more than 1 week after the first visit. Diseases misdiagnosed were categorized as cancer, hemorrhoids, polyps and other diseases. Data were statistically analyzed by using the life tables and Kaplan-Meier curves. The software used was SPSS 16.0 for Windows.

RESULTS

The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of AMM patients were 58, 33, 24 and 16%, respectively, and the median survival time was 14.0 months; 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the misdiagnosed patients were 61, 22, 22 and 11%, respectively, and the median survival time was 14.0 months; 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the patients not misdiagnosed were 55, 44, 25 and 25%, respectively, and the median survival time was 12.0 months. Analyses based on Kaplan-Meier curves revealed no significant effect of misdiagnosis on the survival of AMM patients (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, the diseases misdiagnosed significantly affect the prognosis (P = 0.009); AMM misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids had a poor prognosis, with a 1-year survival rate of only 29% and the median survival of only 6.0 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The misdiagnosed patients had relatively poor prognosis, but the effect of misdiagnosis on the prognosis was not significant; however, misdiagnosis of AMM as hemorrhoids seriously affected the prognosis.

Importance of clear resection margins in anorectal malignant melanoma

BACKGROUND

Anorectal melanoma is rare and surgery is the recommended primary treatment. There has been some debate whether abdominoperineal resection (APR) or local excision is most appropriate. The aim of this study was to provide a population-based analysis of symptoms, treatment and outcome.

METHODS

From the Swedish National Cancer Registry, 251 patients with anorectal melanoma were identified from 1960 to 1999. Medical reports were collected and reviewed retrospectively. R0 resection was defined by clear macroscopic margins and a pathology report showing a margin greater than 10 mm. Survival was compared with the log rank test, and Cox multivariable analysis was performed.

RESULTS

APR and local excision was performed in 66 and 86 patients respectively. Median survival after surgery was 14 months, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Seventy-two patients in whom an R0 resection was achieved, irrespective of approach, had a significantly better overall 5-year survival rate than patients with involved margins (19 versus 6 per cent; P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed resection status and tumour stage to be independent prognostic variables.

CONCLUSION

Both APR and LE seem appropriate for anorectal melanoma provided clear margins can be achieved; prognosis is poor regardless of surgical approach.

Practice patterns and outcomes for anorectal melanoma in the USA, reviewing three decades of treatment: is more extensive surgical resection beneficial in all patients?

INTRODUCTION

Historically, the treatment of anorectal melanoma has been abdominoperineal resection (APR), but more recently local resection alone. Although treatment at melanoma centers has become less aggressive, the adoption of this approach and related outcomes across the USA is unknown.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried to identify patients treated for anorectal melanoma (1973-2003). Treatment patterns and survival were studied. Frequency of treatment was compared using the chi-square test; survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

The 183 patients identified from the SEER database had a median age of 68 years. Of the 143 patients whose data were included, 51 underwent APR and 92 underwent transanal excision (TAE). Despite similar pathologic characteristics, median survival was similar in the two groups: 16 months for APR and 18 months for TAE (P = ns). Five-year survival also was similar in the two groups: 16.8% for APR and 19.3% for TAE (P = ns). The rate of APR was 27.0% between 1973 and 1996, as compared with 43.2% between 1997 and 2003 (P = ns).

CONCLUSION

This study, the largest series to analyze widespread practice patterns and outcomes for anorectal melanoma in the USA, did not reveal a survival difference comparing TAE with APR. Moreover, the study did not reveal a trend toward less aggressive surgical resection. Since the extent of surgical intervention did not correlate with survival or extent of primary tumor, APR should be reserved for selected patients in whom TAE is not technically feasible.

Diffuse anorectal melanoma; review of the current diagnostic and treatment aspects based on a case report

Primary anorectal melanoma is a rare and aggressive disease. Patients commonly complain for changes in bowel habits and rectal bleeding, and proctoscopically they mostly appear as non pigmented or lightly pigmented polypoid lesions. Such a lesion should always raise a high index of suspicion in any gastroenterologist or surgeon to prompt surgery, since early radical excision is the only treatment option.

Herein, we report a case of a 57-year-old man with a diffuse anal canal melanoma and give reference to the current diagnostic and treatment options.

Surgical treatment for anorectal malignant melanoma: report of five cases and review of 79 Japanese cases

INTRODUCTION

Anorectal malignant melanoma (AMM) is a relatively rare disease. Because of its poor prognosis, the optimal surgical treatment for AMM is still controversial and difficult to determine. In this paper, we report five cases of AMM that have been treated by surgery and/or other methods at Shinshu University Hospital within the last decade. We also review the present five cases along with 74 other Japanese cases reported between 1997 and 2006 and discuss the role of surgery in the treatment of AMM.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Among our AMM patients, two who underwent radical abdominoperineal resection had long survival, while the other three patients who underwent palliative surgery had a poor outcome. On the total of 79 AMM patients, those who underwent curative surgery had a better outcome than those who underwent palliative surgery (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the outcome of AMM patients at stages 0 and I was better than that of AMM patients at stages II, III, and IV (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in survival between AMM patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, AMM patients treated by curative surgery can expect long-term survival, although the usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy for AMM patients is controversial.

Melanoma of the anorectal region: the experience of the National Cancer Institute of Milano

AIMS

This study describes the experience of the National Cancer Institute of Milano in the treatment of anorectal melanoma over the last 32 years.

METHODS

The influence of different surgical approaches on local care and final outcome was investigated on 40 completely evaluable patients, followed for a median follow-up time of 75 months. The analysis was carried out by calculating and comparing overall survival, disease-free survival and cumulative incidence curves of disease recurrence.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients underwent radical surgery: nine abdominoperineal resections, four total rectal resections and coloendoanal anastomosis, and 18 local excisions. The remaining nine patients received palliative treatments. Median overall survival time for patients receiving non-radical treatments was poor: only 6 months. However, even when a radical surgery was undergone, the prognosis of patients with anal melanoma remains dismal. Local relapse incidence was 45.8% for the limited surgery group, but non-existent for the extended-surgery group (p = 0.007). However, the median disease-free survival time was 7 and 9 months for patients receiving limited or major surgery (p = 0.97). Overall survival was 17 months, irrespective of the adopted surgery.

CONCLUSION

Prognosis of anal melanoma remains poor. Final outcome is not influenced by modality of surgery. A limited but radical excision can be considered whenever possible while a major demolitive surgery should be applied only for therapy of advanced or bulky lesions.

The role of abdominoperineal resection as surgical therapy for anorectal melanoma

OBJECTIVES

1) Characterize changes in the surgical treatment of anorectal melanoma over time. 2) Determine if the extent of surgical resection is associated with outcome. 3) Identify prognostic factors correlating with survival.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Although early data suggested improved survival in patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection (APR) for primary anorectal melanoma, such an aggressive approach may be unwarranted as distant relapse rates are high. We have seen a trend toward less aggressive surgical treatment of the local disease over the past 20 years.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all patients with anorectal melanoma treated at our institution between 1984 and 2003. Extent of primary resection and pathologic factors were studied.

RESULTS

Forty-six patients underwent a curative resection with a median follow-up of 29 months, and 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 35%. While patient and tumor characteristics remained similar, there was a dramatic shift in surgical treatment toward less radical procedures. Prior to 1997, the majority of patients (15 of 21, 71%) underwent APR. After 1997, the majority of patients (21 of 25, 84%) underwent local excision (LE) (P < 0.0001). Local recurrence was noted in 11 of 46 (24%) patients: 4 of 19 (21%) who underwent APR and 7 of 27 (26%) who underwent LE (P = not significant). Five-year DSS was similar: 34% following APR and 35% following LE. Tumor perineural invasion (PNI) was the only factor identified as an independent predictor of worse outcome (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The extent of surgical treatment is not associated with outcome in primary anorectal melanoma. Therefore, LE of the primary tumor is recommended when technically feasible. The presence of PNI is an important prognostic factor and should be considered in future clinical trials.