A Rare Form of Metastatic Melanoma in an HIV-Infected Patient - A Diagnosis to Remember

Marta Leal-Dos-Santos; Diana Seixas; Emanuel Gouveia; Mariana Cravo; Fernando Maltez

doi:10.7759/cureus.20743

A Rare Form of Metastatic Melanoma in an HIV-Infected Patient - A Diagnosis to Remember

Cureus. 2021 Dec 27;13(12):e20743. doi: 10.7759/cureus.20743. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Marta Leal-Dos-Santos¹, Diana Seixas¹, Emanuel Gouveia², Mariana Cravo³, Fernando Maltez¹

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Diseases, Hospital de Curry Cabral - Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central (CHULC), Lisbon, PRT.
² Oncology, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil, Lisbon, PRT.
³ Dermatology, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil, Lisbon, PRT.

Abstract

Malignant melanoma (MM), which is amongst the rarest skin cancers, still remains one of the deadliest and most likely to spread, and, in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, generally has a more aggressive behaviour. Although gastrointestinal (GI) tract metastases are frequent, secondary symptomatic colonic disease is rare. We present the case of a 76-year-old HIV-infected patient, with a 15-month history of GI and constitutional symptoms and a previous diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Diagnostic workup revealed metastatic involvement of the cecum. This case highlights the need to bear in mind the metastatic involvement of the GI tract by MM, and MM itself, especially in HIV-infected patients.

Keywords: cancer in hiv patients; gastro-intestinal metastasis; human immunodeficiency virus infection; malignant melanoma; metastatic melanoma.

Publication types

Case Reports