Clinical articlesClinical investigation of amelanotic malignant melanoma in the oral region
Section snippets
Patients and methods
Nine patients with primary AOMM were examined between 1970 and 2002 in the First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University or the Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine. The mean age of the patients (4 males, 5 females) was 67. 0 years, ranging from 46 to 84 years. Seven tumors occurred in both maxillary gingiva and maxillary palate, and 1 each only in the maxillary gingiva or maxillary palate.
The
Nonpigmented nodular type aomm
Clinically, nonpigmented tumor without a radial growth phase was found. Four of the 5 cases with this type of tumor were initially misdiagnosed as epulis, squamous cell carcinoma, or benign tumor because of the absence of pigments and radial growth phase. Regional metastases were recognized in 3 cases; distant metastases resulting in death were found in 4 of the 5 cases.
The life span ranged from 3 months to 4 years 1 month (Table 1). Histopathologically, the resection margins of the specimens
Discussion
In contrast to skin melanomas, the etiologic factors of oral melanomas are not well established. The incidence of oral malignant melanoma ranges from 0.2% to 8.0% of all melanomas.8, 9 Moreover, because amelanotic malignant melanoma accounts for only 2.3% of all melanomas,10 this type of melanoma is extremely rare. Amelanotic malignant melanoma was defined as a tumor composed of nonpigmented melanocytes11; however, in another report, a tumor that lacks pigmentation clinically and has melanin
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Clear cell oral squamous cell carcinoma as a diagnostic conundrum: report of 2 rare cases
2024, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral RadiologyPigmented Lesions
2020, Dermatologic ClinicsCitation Excerpt :Clinical: clinically, most oral mucosal melanomas are diagnosed as pigmented nodular lesions (Fig. 5). A classification of the 5 varied presentations of oral mucosal melanoma has been proposed: (1) pigmented nodular, (2) nonpigmented nodular, (3) pigmented macular, (4) pigmented mixed, and (5) nonpigmented mixed.39 The most common sites are the hard palate and gingiva.38
Lesions of the Oral Cavity
2020, Gnepp's Diagnostic Surgical Pathology of the Head and Neck, Third EditionMucosal melanoma of the head and neck
2017, Critical Reviews in Oncology/HematologyCitation Excerpt :Oral MM generally presents as a hyperpigmented lesion, with a wide range of colours varying from black, brown, grey to reddish or white (Penel et al., 2006). Interestingly, oral lesions may be amelanotic in up to 10–30% of cases; in these patients, diagnosis may be challenging (Tomicic and Wanebo, 2003; Tanaka et al., 2004; Sun et al., 2012). Oral MM may have either a nodular or macular appearance (Tanaka et al., 1994; Wu et al., 2014).
Oral malignant melanoma: Systematic review of literature and report of two cases
2013, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral RadiologyCitation Excerpt :Umeda et al. noted that on close examination typical OMM usually presents with 3 distinct components: a nodular component usually affecting the center; a flat or slightly elevated, deep brownish-black pigmented plaque component; and a nonelevated light brown macular component.16 Approximately 10% of cases are known to be amelanotic in nature, lacking macular component, thus posing a difficulty in diagnosis.17 Induration is usually absent in cases with prolonged radial growth phase or with minimal invasion.
Amelanotic melanoma of the mandible: A case report
2011, Oral Science International