[Sinonasal mucosal malignant melanoma].
BACKGROUND
Mucosal melanomas are rare tumors, and primary sinonasal malignant melanomas uncommon tumors that are frequently misclassified. Differential diagnosis should rule out other sinonasal malignancies, including carcinoma, lymphoma, sarcoma, and olfactory neuroblastoma.


METHODS
We report two new cases of sinonasal melanoma. One involved a 68-year-old man being followed for chronic sinusitis, despite antibiotics; he presented a tumor of the right nasal cavity. The second case was that of a 77-year-old woman, referred for painful gingival swelling shown to involve osteolytic growth in the left maxillary sinus. In both cases, pathologic examination of the biopsy samples concluded that these were sinonasal malignant melanomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Histologically, the diagnosis is very difficult because of the polymorphic features of this tumor, and immunohistochemical studies are very important. The relative inaccessibility of the mucosa to self-examination often delays diagnosis and leads to late detection and poor prognosis.
Saint-Blancard
Patrick
P
Service d'anatomie pathologique, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Clamart (92). Electronic address: psbpercy@yahoo.fr.
Kossowski
Michel
M
Service d'oto-rhino-laryngologie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Clamart (92).
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008940:Mitotic Index; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*