Year : 2017

Volume : Volume 7

Issue : Issue 2

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Deepak Velu
dr.deepak85@hotmail.com

Abstract

Background:  Mucosal melanoma, an entity of malignant melanoma is a rare disease among the head and neck cancers with poor prognosis and increased mortality rate. Definitive treatment from surgical to radiotherapy and chemotherapy has been a question of choice in this rare disease. Aggressive resection of the primary tumour with elective neck dissection and adjuvant therapy for prevention of local regional recurrence and metastasis has been a controversy till date.  Materials and Methods: The authors present a three year follow up report of a case of mucosal melanoma of the right side of palate. The paper also includes a review of literature of the currently available treatment options for the disease. Results: In locally advanced mucosal melanoma, treatment with aggressive wide surgical resection, elective neck dissection of ipsilateral nodes, postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy offered good control of the disease. Conclusion: Aggressive resection with adequate marginal clearance and elective neck dissection of ipsilateral nodes of N0  neck along with adjuvant radiotherapy showed increased survival rate. Further, decreased late local regional recurrence and metastasis was observed.

Keywords: Mucosal Melanoma, Elective Neck Dissection, Aggressive Surgery, Postoperative radiation.