Natural history of surgically treated mucosal melanoma

Thirty-three patients with melanoma arising in a mucosal site were reviewed. Sixteen patients were treated either with abdominoperineal resection or radical vulvectomy and superficial inguinal lymphadenectomy. Three patients were treated palliatively. Fourteen patients were treated conservatively with local excision, wide local excision, and radiation therapy. One patient received systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Local recurrence developed in seven patients. The overall survival rate was poor. Neither local control nor survival appeared to be influenced by the initial surgical approach.