Oral melanotic macules that develop after radiation therapy.
External beam radiotherapy treatment of malignant conditions in the head and neck can give rise to several adverse oral effects if the oral or salivary tissues are within the field of beam. We report on a patient with widespread oral melanotic hyperpigmentation that developed after a course of radiotherapy for metastatic carcinoma in the cervical lymph nodes. As no other local or systemic cause was evident it is possible this abnormal hyperpigmentation was a result of the radiotherapy. The development of oral melanotic macules as a consequence of radiotherapy has not been previously described.
Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology and Microbiology, Bristol Dental Hospital and School, U.K.
A W
AW
Barrett
S R
SR
Porter
C
C
Scully
J W
JW
Eveson
M J
MJ
Griffiths
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008548:Melanosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000532:radiotherapy