Abstract
In general, malignant melanoma in the head and neck (MMHN) provides a poor prognosis. The treatment for MMHN has mainly indicated radical excision. Other therapies are usually not effective. Nine MMHN patients were treated in our department from 1992 to 2008. Primary lesions were the in nasal cavity in four cases, in the paranasal sinus in four cases, and in the oral cavity in one case. The five-year overall survival rate was 55.6%.
Seven patients were treated with radical surgery. In our current study, the relationship between satellite lesions around the primary site and the prognosis was examined. Three patients without satellite lesions survived with no recurrence, while all four patients with satellite lesions showed local and distant recurrence. Our study suggests that the prognosis of MMHN is influenced by the presence of satellite lesions around the primary site.
