Mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.
BACKGROUND
Mucosal melanomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are rare and do poorly.


METHODS
Seventeen patients treated from 1981 to 1993 at a single referral center were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
Thirteen patients underwent surgical resection, with seven receiving postoperative radiotherapy. Eight had microscopically negative margins. The actuarial 2-year and 5-year survivals for this group of 13 were 67% (8 of 12) and 20% (2 of 10). The local recurrence rate was 85% (11 of 13) and distant metastases occurred in 31% (4 of 13) patients. In the absence of metastatic disease, resection of recurrent tumor correlated with disease-free intervals ranging from 3 months to 40 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Those who received postoperative radiotherapy appeared to have done better with increased disease-free intervals and prolonged survival. Negative surgical margins were not predictive of a more favorable outcome. Surgical resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy is appropriate and resection of recurrent tumor should be considered.
Kingdom
T T
TT
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0342, USA.
Kaplan
M J
MJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity; D009297:Nasal Mucosa; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate