Primary Rectal Malignant Melanoma: Case Report of a Rare Entity

Abstract

Malignant melanoma of the rectum is a very rare and aggressive disease. It represents up to 4% of all anorectal malignancies. Rectal melanoma most common presents in the fifth to sixth decades as rectal bleeding or anal pain. Rectal melanoma is often misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids or rectal polyp, leading to a delay in diagnosis and hence treatment. Timely, diagnosis and prompt treatment are extremely important as such cases carry a poor prognosis. We report this case because of its rarity.

Keywords

• anorectum
• hemorrhoid
• malignant melanoma
• rectal polyp
• rectum.