Primary mucosal melanoma of maxillary gingiva with metastasis: A rare case report with brief review of literature

Abstract

Primary malignant melanoma of the oral cavity is a rare neoplasm. Over 90% of melanoma occurs in skin, but they may also arise from the mucosal surfaces or other sites where neural crest migrates. Intraorally, the most common sites are the palate and gingiva followed by mandibular gingiva and lip mucosa. Oral melanoma is initially asymptomatic. It may develop as a slowly growing mass and be present for months or years before being noticed. Mucosal melanoma of the head and neck has poor prognosis, with the survival of a patient with mucosal melanoma being less when compared with cutaneous melanoma, so early diagnosis is important.