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Malignant melanoma in the palate of a 3-month-old child
Jonathan M Owens1, Jose A Gomez, Robert M Byers
1Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Insights
Malignant mucosal melanoma is rare in children. This case of a 3-month-old boy with head and neck melanoma showed a benign clinical course after local excision, suggesting a favorable prognosis in juveniles.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Dermatopathology
Background:
- Malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare adult cancer with a poor prognosis.
- Previous reports detail only three pediatric cases of this condition.
Observation:
- The youngest reported case involves a 3-month-old boy with a small pigmented lesion on the anterior maxillary alveolus.
- The infant was treated with local excision as the sole intervention.
Findings:
- The patient has remained disease-free for 117 months post-treatment.
- Juvenile mucosal melanoma appears to exhibit a significantly more benign clinical behavior compared to adult cases.
Implications:
- This case highlights the rarity of mucosal melanoma in pediatric populations.
- Findings suggest that early diagnosis and treatment of juvenile mucosal melanoma may lead to favorable long-term outcomes.
Background:
Malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare cancer in adults that carries a grave prognosis. Three mucosal melanomas in pediatric patients have previously been reported.
Methods:
We present here the youngest case of malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck in a 3-month-old boy. He presented with a 2 x 2-mm-pigmented lesion on the anterior maxillary alveolus. The patient was treated with local excision alone.
Results:
The patient has remained disease free with regular follow-up for 117 months.
Conclusion:
Based upon this case and the few cases reported in the literature, mucosal melanoma is a much less common disease in children than in adults. Further, juvenile mucosal melanoma displays a benign clinical behavior.