In which condition is melena commonly associated?

Melena refers to the passage of black, tarry stools, which indicates the presence of digested blood. This condition is typically associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, where blood has had time to be digested by the intestinal enzymes, often due to a source of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Peptic ulcer disease is the correct association because it frequently leads to the erosion of the mucosal lining in the stomach or the first part of the duodenum, causing bleeding. When this bleeding occurs, the blood can travel through the digestive system, becoming digested and leading to melena when passed as stool. The presence of melena suggests that the source of bleeding is likely proximal to the ileocecal valve, which is characteristic of peptic ulcer disease.

The other conditions, while they may lead to gastrointestinal disturbances, do not typically cause melena in the same manner. Diverticulitis may lead to lower gastrointestinal bleeding, often resulting in bright red blood per rectum rather than melena. Hemorrhoids are also associated with bright red blood and typically do not cause melena since they result from bleeding much lower in the gastrointestinal tract. Colon cancer can cause melena, but more commonly presents with changes in bowel habits, weight loss,