Oral Mucosal Melanoma: A Case Report

Malignant melanoma is most deadly of all primary skin cancers. Over 90% of melanomas occur on the skin. Half of such melanomas occur in the oral cavity, followed by nasal cavity (44%) and sinuses (8%). In the oral cavity, the most frequent sites of occurrence are hard palate and maxillary gingiva. Mucosal melanomas represent a diagnostic challenge than the more common cutaneous melanomas because oral melanomas demonstrate significant heterogeneity in morphological features, developmental process, and biological behaviour. This case report highlights an exophytic, lobulated oral malignant melanoma involving maxillary gingiva and is presented to reemphasize the fact that any pigmented lesion in the oral cavity should be examined with suspicion; proper investigation should be carried out to rule out any untoward experiences later.