Small bowel melanoma: Extended survival with surgical management

Small intestinal melanoma is rare, and primary vs metastatic origin is often unclear. A patient with the longest reported survival (21 years) after resection of a melanoma in the small intestine is presented, and the debate regarding primary small bowel melanoma is reviewed. Multiple resections of neck recurrence (or second primaries) in this patient with prolonged survival validates the aggressive pursuit and excision of localized melanoma when possible.