Neurotropic melanoma invading the inferior alveolar nerve.
BACKGROUND
Desmoplastic neurotropic melanoma (DNM) and neurotropic melanoma (NM), rare lesions of the head and neck, often present as a benign-appearing nodule which later progresses to cranial nerve involvement.


OBJECTIVE
To discuss treatment and outcome of 3 cases of DNM/NM of the lower lip.


METHODS
Three case reports with 12- to 54-month follow-up and literature review.


RESULTS
The first case had an initial excision of melanoma of his lower lip and presented 16 years later with severe bilateral atrophy of his muscles of mastication with NM and underwent intensity modulated radiation therapy but no further resection. We also report two other cases of DNM of the lip, one of which received gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial extension.


CONCLUSIONS
Small retrospective case series.


CONCLUSIONS
Locoregional recurrences from DNM are more common than distant metastasis warranting vigilant surveillance following resection of the initial lesion. Radiation therapy and gamma knife radiosurgery may be used for cases of unresectable recurrences.
Lin
Doris
D
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143-0342, USA.
Kashani-Sabet
Mohammed
M
McCalmont
Timothy
T
Singer
Mark I
MI
D000328:Adult; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery