title: Malignant melanoma of the maxillary gingiva: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucosal malignant melanoma of the of the head and neck is a rare neoplasm, accounting for about 0.2% of all melanomas. We present the clinopathological findings of a case.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 83-year-old woman presented with a dark reddish pigmented lesion which had appeared 3 years previously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical examination revealed a sessile lesion, 1.5 cm in diameter, located on the vestibular maxillary gingiva next to the first molar area. Microscopic analysis of the neoplasm showed epithelioid cells with prominent nucleoli aggregated in solid nests. Cytoplasmic melanin pigmentation was present. The neoplastic cells were positive for HMB-45 and S100 protein. The final histologic diagnosis was primary malignant melanoma of the gingiva. Physical examination and a computerized tomography scan of the neck, liver, and lungs ruled out the possibility of occult melanoma lesions elsewhere in the body.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis for patients with oral malignant melanoma is extremely poor. Earlier recognition of this condition simplifies treatment and greatly improves the prognosis for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perrotti
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piattelli
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioroni
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*