Background: Mucosal malignant melanoma of the of the head and neck is a rare neoplasm, accounting for about 0.2% of all melanomas. We present the clinopathological findings of a case.
Methods: An 83-year-old woman presented with a dark reddish pigmented lesion which had appeared 3 years previously.
Results: Clinical examination revealed a sessile lesion, 1.5 cm in diameter, located on the vestibular maxillary gingiva next to the first molar area. Microscopic analysis of the neoplasm showed epithelioid cells with prominent nucleoli aggregated in solid nests. Cytoplasmic melanin pigmentation was present. The neoplastic cells were positive for HMB-45 and S100 protein. The final histologic diagnosis was primary malignant melanoma of the gingiva. Physical examination and a computerized tomography scan of the neck, liver, and lungs ruled out the possibility of occult melanoma lesions elsewhere in the body.
Conclusion: The prognosis for patients with oral malignant melanoma is extremely poor. Earlier recognition of this condition simplifies treatment and greatly improves the prognosis for these patients.