Update on primary mucosal melanoma

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 71; no. 2; pp. 366 - 375
• Main Authors: Tacastacas, Joselin D., MD, Bray, Julie, CNP, Cohen, Yoon K., DO, Arbesman, Joshua, MD, Kim, Julian, MD, Koon, Henry B., MD, Honda, Kord, MD, Cooper, Kevin D., MD, Gerstenblith, Meg R., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2014
• Subjects: anorectal mucosal melanoma; C-KIT inhibitors; clinical characteristics; Dermatology; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - genetics; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - pathology; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms - genetics; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; Humans; Melanoma - genetics; Melanoma - pathology; Melanoma - therapy; mucosal melanoma of the head and neck; Mucous Membrane - pathology; pathology; treatment; urinary tract melanoma; Urogenital Neoplasms - genetics; Urogenital Neoplasms - pathology; Urogenital Neoplasms - therapy; vulvar and vaginal mucosal melanoma; treatment; cutaneous melanoma; MMHN; RT; sentinel lymph node biopsy; wide local excision; C-KIT inhibitors; pathology; APR; mucosal melanomas of the head and neck; MMVV; abdominoperineal resection; clinical characteristics; mucosal melanomas of the penis; WLE; vulvar and vaginal mucosal melanoma; TNM; American Joint Committee on Cancer; v-kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog; mucosal melanoma of the head and neck; CSD; primary urethral melanomas; AJCC; overall survival; SEER; Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results; MM; OR; OS; DSS; mucosal melanomas of the anorectum; mucosal melanomas of the vulva and vagina; C-KIT; CM; SLNB; chronic sun damage; MMP; disease-specific survival; overall response; anorectal mucosal melanoma; MMU; MMAR; tumor, node, metastasis; radiation therapy; mucosal melanoma; urinary tract melanoma
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2014.03.031

Mucosal melanomas are aggressive cancers of mucosal surfaces with clinical and pathologic characteristics distinct from cutaneous melanomas, warranting different staging systems and treatment approaches. Surgical resection is performed frequently for the primary tumor, although the utility of lymph node surgery and radiation therapy is not established. Therapies targeted against C-KIT activating mutations, identified in many mucosal melanomas, are emerging as promising treatments.