Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a rare type of gastrointestinal melanoma characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. This study reports a case of a male patient with PMME complicated by primary lung adenocarcinoma. The...

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Main Authors: Li Yang, Fan Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1546806/full
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author Li Yang
Fan Yang
author_facet Li Yang
Fan Yang
author_sort Li Yang
collection DOAJ
description Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a rare type of gastrointestinal melanoma characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. This study reports a case of a male patient with PMME complicated by primary lung adenocarcinoma. The main symptom of the patient was progressive dysphagia. Endoscopically, a polypoid mass was observed protruding into the lumen of the lower esophagus, with melanin pigmentation on the tumor surface, part of which was smooth and part showed ulceration. Enhanced chest and abdominal CT, as well as PET-CT, were consistent with esophageal malignancy, the left lung was consistent with lung cancer, and the right was considered metastatic. CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy and immunohistochemistry indicated left lung invasive adenocarcinoma. PMME is extremely rare, and the co-occurrence of lung adenocarcinoma as a double primary cancer is even rarer in clinical practice. The disease has a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis, with diagnosis mainly relying on endoscopic examination, pathological histological morphology, and immunohistochemistry. Early detection and diagnosis are currently key to treating this disease.
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spelling doaj-art-5be19ffc6d0942c8a265253a9007dcbb2025-08-20T02:40:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-06-011510.3389/fonc.2025.15468061546806Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancersLi YangFan YangPrimary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a rare type of gastrointestinal melanoma characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. This study reports a case of a male patient with PMME complicated by primary lung adenocarcinoma. The main symptom of the patient was progressive dysphagia. Endoscopically, a polypoid mass was observed protruding into the lumen of the lower esophagus, with melanin pigmentation on the tumor surface, part of which was smooth and part showed ulceration. Enhanced chest and abdominal CT, as well as PET-CT, were consistent with esophageal malignancy, the left lung was consistent with lung cancer, and the right was considered metastatic. CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy and immunohistochemistry indicated left lung invasive adenocarcinoma. PMME is extremely rare, and the co-occurrence of lung adenocarcinoma as a double primary cancer is even rarer in clinical practice. The disease has a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis, with diagnosis mainly relying on endoscopic examination, pathological histological morphology, and immunohistochemistry. Early detection and diagnosis are currently key to treating this disease.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1546806/fullmelanomalung adenocarcinomaprimary malignant melanoma of the esophagusdual primary cancerstreatment
spellingShingle Li Yang
Fan Yang
Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
Frontiers in Oncology
melanoma
lung adenocarcinoma
primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus
dual primary cancers
treatment
title Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
title_full Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
title_fullStr Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
title_full_unstemmed Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
title_short Case Report: Esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma: a rare case of dual primary cancers
title_sort case report esophageal malignant melanoma with lung adenocarcinoma a rare case of dual primary cancers
topic melanoma
lung adenocarcinoma
primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus
dual primary cancers
treatment
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1546806/full
work_keys_str_mv AT liyang casereportesophagealmalignantmelanomawithlungadenocarcinomaararecaseofdualprimarycancers
AT fanyang casereportesophagealmalignantmelanomawithlungadenocarcinomaararecaseofdualprimarycancers