食管黑色素瘤或称黑色素癌，是一种少见的肿瘤。Stout和Latters起初没有发现食管存在黑色素母细胞或良性色素痣，因此对此有怀疑。以后De La Pava等（1963）在100具无选择尸体标本上证实4例确有典型的黑色素母细胞，同时在表皮底层见到黑色素颗粒和树突。目前多数学者虽然承认食管黑色素瘤的存在，但其看法并非一致，认为 Esophageal melanoma, or melanoma cancer, is a rare tumor. Stout and Latters initially had no evidence of esophageal presence of melanocytes or benign pigmented nevus, and were therefore skeptical. De La Pava et al. (1963) later confirmed that 4 cases of melanocytes were typical in 100 unselected cadavers. Melanin granules and dendrites were also found on the bottom of the epidermis. Although most scholars currently acknowledge the existence of esophageal melanoma, their views are not consistent.