Mucosal Melanoma

Mucosal melanoma is a rare but aggressive cancer arising in mucosal surfaces most commonly in the head and neck. The clinical presentation is often nonspecific and differs in relation to the site of origin so often diagnosis is delayed resulting in poor prognosis. Mucosal melanoma has a 5-year survival of only 25%. Surgery with negative margins is the mainstay of treatment but dependent on several variables including anatomic location, involved structures, and size of tumor. Although not well defined given the rarity of mucosal melanoma, there is a role for radiation and systemic therapy in the treatment of this disease.