Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma

Abstract

Head and neck mucosal melanoma (MM) is an aggressive and rare neoplasm of melanocytic origin. To date, few retrospective series and case reports have been reported on MM. This article reviews the current evidence on head and neck MM and the molecular pathways that mediate the pathogenesis of this disease. Head and neck MM accounts for 0.7%-3.8% of all melanomas and involve (in decreasing order of frequency) the sinonasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and upper esophagus. Although many studies have examined MM of the head and neck and the underlying molecular pathways, individual genetic and molecular alterations were less investigated. Further studies are needed to complement existing data and to increase our understanding of melanocytes tumorigenesis.

Malignant melanoma of sun-protected sites: a review of clinical, histological, and molecular features

“…For example, 66% of patients with mucosal melanoma arising on the larynx or pharynx report a history of smoking, and anorectal melanoma appears to be more common in patients with HIV. 16,64 CONCLUSION In summary, our review of the literature suggests important clinical and histological similarities between acral and mucosal melanomas. Whereas cutaneous melanomas may be somewhat common in women before the age of 50, sun-protected subtypes are rarely diagnosed before the seventh and eighth decades of life.…”

Chinese Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma (2015 Edition)

“…Many foreign studies with small sample sizes (161)(162)(163) found that the BRAF gene mutation rate was 0−10% in MM patients, KIT gene mutation rate was 5−27%, and NRAS gene mutation rate was 13−22%.…”

Melanoma of the Oral Cavity: An Analysis of 43 New Cases with Emphasis on Clinical and Histopathologic Characteristics

“…As the lesions progress, they may appear more nodular and exhibit erosion of the bone or surrounding structures. Satellite lesions (lesions that surround the initial tumor) also have been reported in many primary oral melanoma lesions [1,4,11].…”

“…Primary oral melanoma represents 0.2-8 % of all melanomas [1][2][3] and 0.5 % of all oral cavity malignancies [1,[4][5][6]. The age range varies between 7 and 95 years [7] and typically is diagnosed in the 5th through 7th decades of life [1,3].…”