Primary Melanoma of Esophagus

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus does occur, although it is a rare tumor. Most cases involve the lower third of the esophagus. They tend to form a large polypoid mass. The image shows sheets of epithelioid cells in the submucosa in a hemorrhagic background. It is important to document the intraepithelial (junctional) component in order to prove that it is a primary tumor.