An update on the current management of head and neck mucosal melanoma

Primary mucosal melanomas of the head and neck are rare and aggressive tumours that arise in the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and more rarely in the oral cavity. The current treatment options include radical surgical resection with adjuvant external beam radiotherapy being offered in high-risk patients. Although the latter can improve regional control, it does not reduce overall survival. Elective neck dissection is recommended for nodular oral mucosal melanoma, but its role in the clinically node negative neck is controversial. Systemic therapies including the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for tumours with c-KIT mutations are suitable for patients with advanced loco-regional and/or metastatic disease, but current results are variable. Patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma have a poor prognosis due to the high incidence of metastatic disease. This review assesses the latest evidence in the diagnosis and management of primary oral and head and neck mucosal melanoma including details of systemic therapies.