title: Primary oral melanoma: population-based incidence.
abstract: Primary oral melanoma (POM) is a rare form of melanoma, generally diagnosed at a late stage and has poor prognosis. Epidemiological information has scarcely been reported in the literature over the past 40 years. Analyzing the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents volume IX (CI5-IX) database we found a total of 124,436 oral cavity cancers reported from all population-based cancer registries and 319 cases of POM reported by 67 cancer registries. To our knowledge this is the largest number of POM cases analyzed and accounts for 0.26% of all oral cavity cancers. ASR(W) for POM do not exceed 0.01 per 100,000 persons-year in all regions. The most common anatomic sites were palate (47%) and gum (27.6%) and a detailed oral mucosa examination and biopsies of nodular or macular lesions in these sites, especially on elderly patients, is advised to be routinely performed.
authors.affiliation: sortino-rachou@melanoma.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sortino-Rachou
authors.forename: Marianna de Camargo
authors.initials: Mde C
authors.lastname: Cancela
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Voti
authors.forename: Maria Paula
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Curado
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D044349:Oceania / Q000453:epidemiology; D010159:Palate; D012042:Registries; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult