[Clinical analysis of 51 cases of oral mucosal melanoma]

To investigate the treatment and prognosis of the patients with oral mucosal melanoma (OMM).

The clinicopathological and follow-up data of patients with OMM in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 1976 to December 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.

Fifty-one cases were analyzed. The pathological lymph node metastasis rate was 61% (31/51) and the affected sites were confined to level I(b)-III (94%). The overall three year and five yearsurvival rates were 35% and 21% respectively. No significant difference of three year and five year survival rates were found between the group of incisional biopsy and the group of excisional biopsy. The prognosis was not affected by pigmentation. The survival rate of the patients receiving surgery combined with biotherapy or biochemotherapy was significantly higher than that of the patients treated by other modalities (P = 0.003).

In patients with OMM, lymph node metastasis was mostly confined to level I(b)-III. Incisional biopsy and pigmentation were not associated with an unfavorable prognosis. The prognosis of the patients with OMM was poor and the patients may get a better prognosis by receiving surgery combined with biotherapy or biochemotherapy.