Abstract
Mucosal melanomas of the head and neck (sinonasal and oral cavity) account for 1% of neoplasms, 4% of all melanomas and over 50% of all mucosal melanomas. They have a high metastatic potential. Five-year overall survival does not exceed 30%. Diagnosis may be difficult and includes adequate immunohistochemical staining. Risk factors, presentation and molecular biology are different from those of cutaneous melanomas. The mainstay of treatment is surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Endoscopic surgery should be evaluated prospectively. Neck dissection is recommended for N0 oral cavity melanomas, while it can generally be omitted for sinonasal melanomas. Inoperable tumors can be treated with exclusive radiotherapy. Molecular guidance for metastatic cases is a relevant option despite low level of evidence, based on the rarity of disease and low response rates to chemotherapy. c-KIT inhibitors and immunotherapy appear promising.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
