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Melanomas of the mucous membrane of the head and neck
Author(s) -
Conley John J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-198912000-00008
Subject(s) - mucous membrane , medicine , asymptomatic , head and neck , melanoma , nasal cavity , oral cavity , dermatology , mucosal melanoma , pathology , surgery , dentistry , cancer research
Melanoma of the mucous membrane is a rare condition and the most serious of all head and neck melanomas. Its highest incidence is in the oral cavity, followed by the nasal and pharyngeal cavities. It usually occurs during the fifth decade of life. In its early stages it is asymptomatic and often located in areas difficult to see upon visual examination and technically inaccessible. These facts lead to a delay in diagnosis, which reduces curability to 8%. In spite of these negative factors, there has been a significant improvement in the extension and quality of life for patients with melanoma of the mucous membrane. The biological characteristics of this disease are analyzed and a philosophy of management is offered.