Oral mucosal melanoma: a series of case reports

INTRODUCTION: Due to the rarity of oral malignant melanomas case reports are a necessary source of information. Ten new cases are reported with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were treated during a period of 10 years. Clinical, demographic and pathologic findings were examined. RESULTS: In 6 males (60%) and 4 females with a mean age of 64.3 years the tumour locations were: hard palate-maxillary gingiva (3 cases), maxillary gingiva (2), lower gingiva (2), tongue (2), hard/soft palate-buccal mucosa (1). Pre-existing melanotic pigmentation had been present in 4 patients. Four patients were in stage I, 5 in stage II, and 1 in stage III. Surgical excision was the primary treatment in 9 cases. Five patients underwent simultaneous neck dissections. All patients received radiation and multimode adjuvant therapies. After a 3-year follow-up 3 patients are still alive (50% (2/4) of those presenting in stage I and 20% (1/5) in stage II). CONCLUSIONS: Due to the rarity of oral melanoma, individual experience is limited. The poor prognosis and the different treatments reflect this situation.