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. 2013 May 16:2013:586915.
doi: 10.1155/2013/586915. Print 2013.

Mucosal melanoma in the head and neck region: different clinical features and same outcome to cutaneous melanoma

Faruk Tas  1 , Serkan Keskin
Affiliations

Mucosal melanoma in the head and neck region: different clinical features and same outcome to cutaneous melanoma

Faruk Tas et al. ISRN Dermatol. .

Abstract

Mucosal melanoma (MM) in the head and neck (H&N) is relatively rare and behaves in distinct pattern from cutaneous melanoma (CM). We performed this study to define clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients and emphasize MM differences from CM. Forty-one patients with MM located in H&N were assessed. 94 CM patients originated from H&N region were also used for comparison. Patients had oral cavity (51%) and sinonasal location (49%).The median age was 60 years and gender distribution was equal. Thirty-two (78%) patients had localized stage, four (10%) patients had regional lymph node metastasis, and five (12%) patients had distant metastasis. The 1- and 5-year overall survival rates were 81% and 58%, respectively. Outcomes were similar between sinonasal and oral cavity patients (P = 0.67). Advanced disease was the significant prognostic factor for outcome (P = 0.03). MM patients are older (P = 0.008) and more diagnosed as a localized disease patients at presentation than those with CM (P = 0.06). Overall survival rates were identical in patients with MM and CM (P = 0.53). In conclusion, despite different clinical features, outcome was identical in patients with MM and CM located in the H&N region.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Survival curves in patients with MM and CM located in H&N region (P = 0.53).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Survival curves in patients with MMs located in H&N region (P = 0.67).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Survival curves of patients with CMs located in the head (face versus scalp, P < 0.001; face versus ear, P = 0.012; and ear versus scalp, P = 0.40).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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