1. Head and neck mucosal melanoma: experience with 42 patients, with emphasis on the role of postoperative radiotherapy.
- Author
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Meleti M, Leemans CR, de Bree R, Vescovi P, Sesenna E, and van der Waal I
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Head and Neck Neoplasms pathology, Head and Neck Neoplasms surgery, Humans, Italy, Male, Medical Records, Melanoma pathology, Melanoma surgery, Middle Aged, Mucous Membrane pathology, Neoplasm Recurrence, Local, Neoplasm Staging, Netherlands, Postoperative Period, Prognosis, Radiotherapy, Adjuvant, Retrospective Studies, Survival Analysis, Treatment Outcome, Head and Neck Neoplasms radiotherapy, Melanoma radiotherapy, Mucous Membrane radiation effects
- Abstract
Background: Treatment of head and neck mucosal melanoma remains a challenge. Surgery has traditionally been the main therapeutic approach. The role of postoperative radiotherapy has never been clearly established., Methods: The experience with a group of 42 patients (16 males, 26 females) with a primary head and neck mucosal melanoma is reported., Results: Eleven of 19 patients (57.9%) receiving surgery alone developed a regional lymphatic metastasis. For patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy (19 patients), regional metastatic spread occurred in 4 patients (21%). Percentages of local failure were 57.9% (11/19) and 26.3% (5/19) for patients treated with surgery alone and for those treated with surgery and radiotherapy, respectively. Distant metastases occurred in 10 of 19 patients (52.6%) receiving surgery alone and in 9 of 19 patients (47.3%) receiving both therapies., Conclusions: The present evaluation confirms a poor prognosis for patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma, independent of the treatment modality., ((c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
- Published
- 2008
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