Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1223844
Anorectal Melanoma
Publication History
Publication Date:
27 May 2009 (online)
ABSTRACT
The authors review the epidemiologic, clinicopathologic, and molecular features of anorectal melanoma, and discuss the differences between this uncommon and lethal disease and the more common and curable cutaneous form. Observations regarding outcomes after surgical resection will also be discussed, as well as predictors of survival and the use of adjuvant therapies. The recent discovery that the KIT oncogene may be aberrantly activated in a subset of patients with anorectal melanoma creates a realm of possibility for the development of targeted molecular therapy. Melanoma of the anorectum is an extremely rare tumor that is often difficult to diagnose. Its surgical management is controversial, and the prognosis remains poor.
KEYWORDS
Melanoma - anorectal disease - molecular therapy - adjuvant treatment
REFERENCES
- 1 Klas J V, Rothenberger D A, Wong W D, Madoff R D. Malignant tumors of the anal canal: the spectrum of disease, treatment, and outcomes. Cancer. 1999; 85(8) 1686-1693
- 2 Chong A E, Karnell L H, Menck H R. The National Cancer Data Base report on cutaneous and noncutaneous melanoma: a summary of 84,836 cases from the past decade. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society. Cancer. 1998; 83(8) 1664-1678
- 3 McLaughlin C C, Wu X C, Jemal A, Martin H J, Roche L M, Chen V W. Incidence of noncutaneous melanomas in the U.S Cancer. 2005; 103(5) 1000-1007
- 4 Cagir B, Whiteford M H, Topham A, Rakinic J, Fry R D. Changing epidemiology of anorectal melanoma. Dis Colon Rectum. 1999; 42(9) 1203-1208
- 5 Wanebo H J, Woodruff J M, Farr G H, Quan S H. Anorectal melanoma. Cancer. 1981; 47(7) 1891-1900
- 6 Antonescu C R, Busam K J, Francone T D et al.. L576P KIT mutation in anal melanomas correlates with KIT protein expression and is sensitive to specific kinase inhibition. Int J Cancer. 2007; 121(2) 257-264
- 7 Brady M S, Kavolius J P, Quan S H. Anorectal melanoma. A 64-year experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dis Colon Rectum. 1995; 38(2) 146-151
- 8 Ward M W, Romano G, Nicholls R J. The surgical treatment of anorectal malignant melanoma. Br J Surg. 1986; 73(1) 68-69
- 9 Thibault C, Sagar P, Nivatvongs S, Ilstrup D M, Wolff B G. Anorectal melanoma—an incurable disease?. Dis Colon Rectum. 1997; 40(6) 661-668
- 10 Bullard K M, Tuttle T M, Rothenberger D A et al.. Surgical therapy for anorectal melanoma. J Am Coll Surg. 2003; 196(2) 206-211
- 11 Yeh J J, Shia J, Hwu W J et al.. The role of abdominoperineal resection as surgical therapy for anorectal melanoma. Ann Surg. 2006; 244(6) 1012-1017
- 12 Yeh J J, Weiser M R, Shia J, Hwu W J. Response of stage IV anal mucosal melanoma to chemotherapy. Lancet Oncol. 2005; 6(6) 438-439
- 13 Crosby T, Fish R, Coles B, Mason M D. Systemic treatments for metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000; (2) CD001215
- 14 Chapman P B, Einhorn L H, Meyers M L et al.. Phase III multicenter randomized trial of the Dartmouth regimen versus dacarbazine in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 1999; 17(9) 2745-2751
- 15 Rofstad E K. Radiation biology of malignant melanoma. Acta Radiol Oncol. 1986; 25(1) 1-10
- 16 Bentzen S M, Overgaard J, Thames H D et al.. Clinical radiobiology of malignant melanoma. Radiother Oncol. 1989; 16(3) 169-182
- 17 Ballo M T, Gershenwald J E, Zagars G K et al.. Sphincter-sparing local excision and adjuvant radiation for anal-rectal melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2002; 20(23) 4555-4558
Martin R WeiserM.D.
Colorectal Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Ave., Rm. C-1075, New York, NY 10021
Email: weiser1@mskcc.org