title: Complete response of huge buccal malignant melanoma in an octogenarian patient to arterial chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary oral mucosal melanoma is uncommon. However, it is an aggressive entity, and the absence of a standardized treatment protocol makes for an extremely poor prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We described the clinical course and treatment by arterial chemotherapy of an 87-year-old patient with nonresectable huge buccal malignant melanoma. Continuous intra-arterial infusion of fluorouracil (50 mg/24 hours) and 1 intermittent weekly 10-mg shot of cisplatin were given.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient with oral melanoma presented with a roughly 6- × 4-cm exophytic mass that was noticed on the right buccal mucosa. The buccal tumor regressed dramatically until complete disappearance of the tumor mass was achieved at 2.5 months after intra-arterial chemotherapy was initiated. In total, 2880 mg of fluorouracil and 80 mg of cisplatin were administrated. The side effects of intra-arterial chemotherapy were mild and tolerable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrate that intra-arterial chemotherapy could be an alternative treatment for nonresectable buccal malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, , Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chieh-Shan
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Yii
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: buccal mucosa; complete response; intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy; malignant melanoma; oral cavity