Survival rates associated with melanoma spread to the large bowel

This study investigated the rate, clinical characteristics and survival of melanoma patients with bowel metastasis (cancer spread). Researchers suggested that there is a long interval between melanoma diagnosis and bowel metastsis.

Melanoma metastases are commonly seen in skin, lungs and brain. A less common spot is in the gastrointestinal system. Therefore, the nature of bowel metastasis (spread to the colon, rectum, or anus) is not well understood.

Studies have shown that 60% of advanced melanoma patients have bowel metastasis. However they are diagnosed in only 4.4% of patients before death.

The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence, characteristics and survival of advanced melanoma patients with bowel metastasis.

This study reviewed information on 38,279 patients, treated over a 50-year period at one center. The bowel metastasis rate was 0.3% (106 patients). The average interval between the melanoma diagnosis and bowel metastasis was 62.8 months.

The most common symptoms were rectal bleeding (29.2%), abdominal pain (18.9%), anemia (low hemoglobin levels in the blood; 16%), and weight loss (6.6%). 15.1% did not report any symptoms. Average survival from diagnosis of bowel metastasis was 31.7 months.

This study highlighted symptoms and outcomes related to melanoma spread to the bowel.