title: Primary malignant melanoma of the oral cavity. Report of an unusual case.
abstract: Primary malignant melanoma is only rarely found in the oral cavity (estimated at between 0.2 and 8 per cent of all melanomas) and occurs approximately four times more frequently in the oral mucosa of the upper jaw, usually on the palate or alveolar gingivae. A case is reported of a malignant melanoma in the mouth of a 74 year old male, which was originally diagnosed as reactive denture hyperplasia caused by a ill-fitting upper denture. Correction of the denture fault failed to stop the growth of the mass, which was therefore removed surgically. Histological examination revealed a melanin-producing tumour. A partial maxillectomy was performed and there was no evidence of recurrence over a three year follow-up period.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dimitrakopoulos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lazaridis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skordalaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003779:Denture Design; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005885:Gingival Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009506:Nevus / Q000473:pathology