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Primary malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory tract: Clinicopathologic study
Author(s) -
Mesara Bruce W.,
Burton William D.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196802)21:2<217::aid-cncr2820210209>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , respiratory tract , nasal cavity , respiratory mucosa , pathology , cervical lymph nodes , respiratory system , paranasal sinuses , lymph , primary tumor , epithelium , cancer , metastasis , anatomy , cancer research
Fifteen patients with primary malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory tract are presented. The primary neoplasms of the nasal cavity and nasal sinuses usually present with epistaxis from a bulky tumor whereas tonsillar and nasopharyngeal melanomas present with metastases to cervical lymph nodes. The nasal neoplasms persist locally for about 3 years before metastasizing, with an average survival of 3 1/2 years. All patients with tonsillar or nasopharyngeal primary melanomas died within one year. These neoplasms may be classified into small polygonal, large polygonal or spindle cell neoplasms. All of these neoplasms contained melanin pigment although in one third of them it was present in small amounts. Junctional change was present in all nonulcerated tumors. Three cases demonstrated junctional change in respiratory mucosa. Thus, squamous epithelium is not a prerequisite for the development of melanoma and melanomas probably originate from melanocytes included in mucosa of the upper respiratory tract.