A Large Oral Melanoma: A Case Report of a Rare but Aggressive Malignancy

Oral malignant melanoma of the lower jaw-a case report with immunohistochemical investigations

Oral mucosal melanoma is a type of pigment-producing cell malignancy that primarily affects the skin and oral mucosa, but can also affect the ears, eyes, gastrointestinal tract and vaginal mucosa. Oral mucosal melanoma has several different clinical manifestations. Even though it frequently manifests as a black-brown patch, macule, or nodular lesion with varying tones of red, purple or depigmented tissue, the clinical characteristics and pathobiological behaviour of oral mucosal melanomas differ from those of cutaneous melanomas. The prognosis for oral melanomas is exceedingly bad because they frequently exhibit no symptoms, which may delay diagnosis. The case of a 65-year-old male patient with a primary complaint of blackened gums in the right lower back region of the jaw is presented here.

Oral malignant melanoma - Clinical presentation with immunohistochemical analysis

ABSTRACT

Oral melanoma is a rare malignancy with poor prognosis because of its invasive and metastasizing tendencies. It is derived from the melanocytes and is clinically asymptomatic initially but in later stages may show ulceration, pain, bleeding, tooth mobility, and parasthesia. Because of its silent progression, diagnosis is often delayed leading to poor survival rate. This article presents the clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings of a rare case of melanoma involving the maxilla and also highlights the importance of dental professionals in maintaining a high degree of surveillance for all oral pigmented lesions.