title: [Primary mucosal melanoma of the sinonasal tract: report of 18 patients and analysis of 1077 patients in the literature].
abstract: The present study aimed at reporting on the characteristics, prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of 18 cases of nasosinusal mucosa melanoma, and do a literature review on the subject.
  
  
  METHODS
  between 1995 and 2005, 18 patients consecutively diagnosed with nasosinusal mucosa melanoma were managed in our institution. We reviewed the literature in PubMed and Scopus in order to find the main series from studies associated with this topic. We found a total of 35 series, involving 1,077 patients with nasosinusal mucosa melanoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  we found 16 men and 2 women, with age at presentation between 51 and 80 years (median of 58 years). All these patients were submitted to surgical excision followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The survival median was 15 months, and the 5-year general survival had a percentage value of 23%. Considering our univariate analysis: tumor staging and complete remission after initial treatment were deemed relevant prognostic factors. Nonetheless, considering the multivariate analysis, only disease stage was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  nasosinusal melanoma is a rare and aggressive tumor, with high loco-regional and distant failure rates, and poor treatment outcomes. Notwithstanding, in a literature review we found significant improvements considering the 5-year survival for recent series when compared to previously reported ones.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Khalili Hospital, Shiraz Universidade de Ciências Médicas, Shiraz, Irã.
authors.forename: Bijan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.forename: Hajar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bahranifard
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasrollahi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadianpanah
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis