title: [Clinical analysis of 51 cases of oral mucosal melanoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the treatment and prognosis of the patients with oral mucosal melanoma (OMM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinicopathological and follow-up data of patients with OMM in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 1976 to December 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one cases were analyzed. The pathological lymph node metastasis rate was 61% (31/51) and the affected sites were confined to level I(b)-III (94%). The overall three year and five yearsurvival rates were 35% and 21% respectively. No significant difference of three year and five year survival rates were found between the group of incisional biopsy and the group of excisional biopsy. The prognosis was not affected by pigmentation. The survival rate of the patients receiving surgery combined with biotherapy or biochemotherapy was significantly higher than that of the patients treated by other modalities (P = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with OMM, lymph node metastasis was mostly confined to level I(b)-III. Incisional biopsy and pigmentation were not associated with an unfavorable prognosis. The prognosis of the patients with OMM was poor and the patients may get a better prognosis by receiving surgery combined with biotherapy or biochemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck, Sun Yet-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. scz007@126.com
authors.forename: Chuan-zheng
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Fu-jin
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yu-e
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: An-kui
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007376:Interleukin-2; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; C548637:PMEL protein, human; D009418:S100 Proteins; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma