title: Oral mucosal melanoma treated with carbon ion radiotherapy: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral mucosal melanoma is a rare disease with a relatively poor prognosis. Carbon ion radiotherapy has been shown to be effective against radiotherapy-resistant tumors owing to its excellent dose concentration and high biological effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our patient was a 66-year-old Japanese man with oral mucosal melanoma of his right maxillary gingiva (T4aN0M0). He received carbon ion radiotherapy at 57.6 Gy (relative biological effectiveness) in 16 fractions for 4 weeks. Concomitant chemotherapy (dacarbazine + nimustine + vincristine) was administered at the same time as carbon ion radiotherapy initiation. Two courses of adjuvant chemotherapy were given after carbon ion radiotherapy. Although he experienced grade 2 acute oral mucositis, his symptoms improved within a few weeks of undergoing carbon ion radiotherapy. He was alive at the time of reporting, 35 months after treatment, without any recurrence. Late toxicity has not been observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carbon ion radiotherapy for oral mucosal melanoma resulted in a good local effect.
authors.affiliation: Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. musha@gunma-u.ac.jp.|Department of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. musha@gunma-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musha
authors.affiliation: Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.affiliation: Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.affiliation: Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.affiliation: Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D063193:Heavy Ion Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015376:Nimustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015376:Nimustine; D014750:Vincristine; D003606:Dacarbazine
keywords: Carbon ion radiotherapy; Concomitant chemotherapy; Head and neck tumor; Oral mucosal melanoma