Malignant melanoma of the mandibular gingiva

Abstract

Malignant melanoma is a perilous tumor originating from melanocytes. Malignant melanoma of the oral cavity has a sporadic occurrence and accounts for about <1% of all oral malignancies. The tumor most commonly occurs in the palate and the maxillary gingiva in the oral cavity, and seldom involves the mandibular gingiva. In this article, we report a 41-year-old man with primary oral malignant melanoma, which presented as a pedunculated pigmented growth involving the mandibular ridge associated with the lower front teeth. Focus is laid on early identification and reporting of such cases. Appropriate knowledge coupled with a high index of clinical suspicion about melanotic lesions may help in early diagnosis of this rare pathology.