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Head and neck mucosal melanoma: Experience with 42 patients, with emphasis on the role of postoperative radiotherapy
Author(s) -
Meleti Marco,
Leemans C. René,
de Bree Remco,
Vescovi Paolo,
Sesenna Enrico,
van der Waal Isaäc
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.20901
Subject(s) - medicine , mucosal melanoma , radiation therapy , head and neck , surgery , melanoma , distant metastasis , metastasis , cancer , cancer research
Background. Treatment of head and neck mucosal melanoma remains a challenge. Surgery has traditionally been the main therapeutic approach. The role of postoperative radiotherapy has never been clearly established. Methods. The experience with a group of 42 patients (16 males, 26 females) with a primary head and neck mucosal melanoma is reported. Results. Eleven of 19 patients (57.9%) receiving surgery alone developed a regional lymphatic metastasis. For patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy (19 patients), regional metastatic spread occurred in 4 patients (21%). Percentages of local failure were 57.9% (11/19) and 26.3% (5/19) for patients treated with surgery alone and for those treated with surgery and radiotherapy, respectively. Distant metastases occurred in 10 of 19 patients (52.6%) receiving surgery alone and in 9 of 19 patients (47.3%) receiving both therapies. Conclusions. The present evaluation confirms a poor prognosis for patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma, independent of the treatment modality. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008