A Rare Disease of the Digestive Tract: Esophageal Melanosis

Abstract

Esophageal melanosis which is characterized by melanocytic proliferation in the squamous epithelium of the esophagus and melanin accumulatin of esophageal mucosa (EM) is a rare disease of the digestive system. Although esophageal melanosis is considered to be a benign disease, its etiology is not cleared and has been reported to be the precursor lesion of esophageal primary melanomas. In this report, we aimed to note esophageal melanosis in a 55-year-old female case who applied to our clinic with difficulty in swallowing, burning behind the breastbone in the stomach, heartburn, indigestion, and pain in the upper abdomen after endoscopic and pathologic evaluation. Complaints dropped with anti-acid therapy and case was followed by intermittent endoscopic procedures because of precursor melanocytic lesions.