Publication:

Primary anal malignant melanoma: a case report

Primary anal malignant melanoma is an uncommon and aggressive disease. In many cases, the disease is undetected or mistaken for a benign polyp or haemorrhoids until it reaches an advanced stage. Extracutaneous melanomas require special consideration due to their late diagnosis and consequently poor prognosis. Extracutaneous melanomas are considered to be biologically more aggressive than their cutaneous counterparts. Surgical excision remains the cornerstone of therapy. This case is reported because of the rarity of the disease in anal canal found in an 80 year old female who was managed with wide local excision of the growth.