title: Oral melanotic macule and primary oral malignant melanoma: epidemiology, location involved, and clinical implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral malignant melanoma must be differentiated from melanotic macule.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 2 series of oral melanotic macule (n = 52) and oral melanoma (n = 130) were conducted to investigate the epidemiology and location involved and assess their differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of oral melanotic macule patients was 47.3 years, with female:male ratio 2.1 and the lower lip being the predominant location. The mean age of oral melanoma patients was 53.8 years, with no observed sex predilection and the main locations being palate and gingiva. Differences between the 2 cohorts in age (P = .006), gender (P = .014), and lesion site (P < .001) were noted. In this review, 1 case of oral melanotic macule was found to subsequently develop into melanoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral melanotic macule may possess malignant potential. Biopsy is recommended to differentiate oral melanoma from melanotic macule for male patients >60 years old with suspected melanotic macule lesion located on the palate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhe-Xuan
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Zeng-Tong
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li-Zhen
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008548:Melanosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult