Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is a raretumor that accounts for only 0.1％ of primary esophagealneoplasms. Although it was once thought that primarymelanoma could not arise in the esophagus hecause of thelack of precursor cells, it has since been shown inautopsy series that 4％-8％ of individuals havemelanoblasts in the esophageal mucosa.~2 To date,approximately 200 cases of primary esophageal malignantmelanoma have been reported in global literatures whileless than 20 cases of primary esophageal malignantmelanoma have been reported in China. ~(2-4) In this reportwe present a case of primary malignant melanoma of theesophagus in a Chinese man. Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is a rare tumor of accounts for only 0.1% of primary esophageal neoplasms. It has once thought that primarymelanoma could not arise in the esophagus hecause of thelack of precursor cells, it has since been shown in autoopsy series that 4% 8% of individuals havemelanoblasts in the esophageal mucosa. ~ 2 To date, approximately 200 cases of primary esophageal malignantmelanoma have been reported in global literatures whileless than 20 cases of primary esophageal malignantmelanoma have been reported in China. ~ (2-4) In this reportwe present a case of primary malignant melanoma of theesophagus in a Chinese man.