Anorectal Melanoma: A Case Report and an Update of a Rare Malignancy

Anal melanoma is an aggressive but rare malignancy. Patients commonly present with very advanced or even metastatic disease. Risk factors for anal melanoma are family history and an activating mutation of C-KIT. Surgical excision remains the mainstay of therapy. The presence of activating mutations of C-KIT has prompted use of C-KIT inhibitors such as imatinib and sunitini. Early diagnosis and treatment remain crucial. Abdominal perineal resection (APR) offers a higher rate of local control whereas wide local excision (WLE) can yield superior long-term survival. World J Oncol. 2015;6(1):308-310 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/wjon864w