Role of adjuvant chemotherapy in malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck.
The objective of this study was to analyze the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and prognostic factors in malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck (HNMM). Thirty-two patients with mucosal melanoma of the head and neck who received local treatment with or without adjuvant chemotherapy were reviewed. Clinicopathologic parameters including anatomic sites, gender, age (60 vs.>60years), stage, level of invasion, p53 and MDM2 [murine double minute 2] expressions, performance status, and adjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated. The patients' median age was 62years, and 16 (50%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Expressions of p53 and MDM2 were demonstrated in six of 24 and three of 26 cases, respectively. Predictors of poor survival according to univariate analysis were level of invasion and anatomic location of the primary tumor. Patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy had prolonged survival (p=0.002), which was also shown in the multivariate Cox regression model (HR, 0.24; p=0.014). Our analysis suggests a significant role of adjuvant chemotherapy and different patterns of p53 and MDM2 expression in HNMM relative to cutaneous melanomas. However, since this study is retrospective and observational, with a small sample size, further studies are needed to confirm the definitive role of adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck.
Ahn
Heui June
HJ
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Na
Im Ii
II
Park
Yeon Hee
YH
Cho
Soo Youn
SY
Lee
Byeong Cheol
BC
Lee
Guk Haeng
GH
Koh
Jae Soo
JS
Lee
Yong Sik
YS
Shim
Yoon Sang
YS
Kim
Yong Kack
YK
Kang
Hye Jin
HJ
Ryoo
Baek-Yeol
BY
Yang
Sung Hyun
SH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents