title: Malignant melanoma in the palate of a 3-month-old child.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare cancer in adults that carries a grave prognosis. Three mucosal melanomas in pediatric patients have previously been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present here the youngest case of malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck in a 3-month-old boy. He presented with a 2 x 2-mm-pigmented lesion on the anterior maxillary alveolus. The patient was treated with local excision alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient has remained disease free with regular follow-up for 117 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon this case and the few cases reported in the literature, mucosal melanoma is a much less common disease in children than in adults. Further, juvenile mucosal melanoma displays a benign clinical behavior.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Byers
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010159:Palate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment