Capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of melanoma metastasis in the small bowel. Two cases report and literature review

Cheng H.C.; Ramos J.A. · Acta Gastroenterologica Latinoamericana (2020)

Resumen

Malignant melanoma is the neoplasm that most frequently produces metastasis at the gastrointestinal tract. Metastatic lesions can be found in the small bowel in 50 to 60% of the necropsies of patients who die due to malignant melanoma; however, the diagnosis of metastasis in vivo is achieved in less than 10% of patients with this clinical entity. The capsule endoscopy is considered an excellent non-invasive diagnostic method for the evaluation of the small bowel in this group of patients. All patients with melanoma history and gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia, abdominal pain and / or unexplained weight loss should perform an capsule endoscopy to rule out small bowel involvement. We present two patients with cutaneous melanoma with appar-ent remission who develop iron-deficiency anemia, without a history of evident gastrointestinal bleeding with negative endoscopic examinations and capsule endoscopy findings of intestinal metastasis due to melanoma.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia